Over 300 Koreans repatriated from Cambodia amid surge in abduction cases
Mugshots of three suspects indicted for the murder of a 22-year-old Korean university student in Cambodia. Courtesy of Cambodian National Police
Korean community says 5 to 10 SOS calls received each week from victims seeking escape
Calls for help from Koreans trapped or exploited by criminal networks in Cambodia are rising sharply, with at least 300 people already repatriated this year, according to the local Korean community.
“Every week, five to 10 people contact us asking for help to escape,” said Chung Myung-kyu, head of the Korean Association in Cambodia, during a phone interview with CBS Radio on Monday.
He said those rescued are often victims of confinement, assault and forced participation in illegal activities. “They flee without passports or belongings, so they take taxis straight to the embassy or our office,” he added.
Chung said the association works closely with the Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh to help victims return home, but the process is dangerous and resource-intensive.
“There have been cases where gang members showed up at airports to recapture escapees. We try our best to help until the end, but the number of cases has grown too large to handle,” he said.
Hundreds rescued, but many remain missing
Chung estimated that the number of reports related to criminal organizations received by the embassy and the association has reached between 400 and 500 this year alone.
“Some young Koreans are detained in prisons or police stations, and we often don’t even know until local authorities notify us,” he said. “Including those who have not been able to return home, the real number is likely higher.”
He added that “more than 300 people have returned to Korea so far, and the identities of about 400 have been confirmed.”
Chung also warned of cases where individuals knowingly travel to Cambodia to participate in criminal schemes.
“Some go back after returning to Korea and even bring new recruits with them,” he said. “They’re told, ‘If you lure someone else here, we’ll let you go,’ or they’re paid to bring in new victims. Lately, some Koreans have even become middle managers within these organizations.”
Hope pinned on new Korean police desk
Chung said it remains extremely difficult to eradicate such crimes because the syndicates operate as loosely connected cells scattered across the country.
Still, he expressed cautious optimism about the proposed Korean Desk initiative, under which Korean police officers would be stationed directly within Cambodian law enforcement agencies rather than at the embassy.
“The embassy and the Foreign Ministry have been trying to set up a Korean Desk for two or three years, but progress was slow,” Chung said. “This time, since the (Korean) president has made it clear that these crime rings must be dismantled and punished, we have higher hopes.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.