EXPLAINER How did Cambodia turn into den of crime?

Once a fast-growing tourism hot spot, Cambodia’s image as a safe, affordable gateway for Korean visitors has been shattered, as scenes of torture, kidnapping and ransom dominate headlines.

The number of people falling victim to these crimes is growing rapidly: Data from Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs showed that cases of Korean nationals being kidnapped or unlawfully detained in Cambodia jumped from just 17 in 2023 to 220 last year ― and have already surpassed 330 this year as of August.

Experts warn that Cambodia’s weak law enforcement, porous borders and deep-seated corruption have made the Southeast Asian country an especially attractive haven for transnational crime syndicates, many with Chinese leadership.

Young Koreans falling victim

Most Korean victims are in their 20s and 30s, targeted through online ads promising they can earn 8 million won ($5,600) to 15 million won per month, offering round-trip flight tickets and lodging and saying no special skills are required.

After arriving, they are taken to locations like Bokor and Sihanoukville. These towns are home to “scam centers” ― compounds where victims, often lured by ads for high-paying tech or translation jobs, are held captive and forced to carry out cybercrimes such as voice phishing and romance scams. Victims’ passports and valuables are seized on arrival, and resistance often results in violence, torture or, in some tragic cases, death.

Korea’s advanced digital infrastructure has made its citizens perfect targets, said Kwak Dae-kyung, a professor of police administration at Dongguk University. “Bank accounts and IDs can all be created and managed remotely by Koreans. That’s like a dream for criminal traffickers,” he said.

The latest such case involving Korean nationals was confirmed on Monday. According to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency, a college student in his 30s was reported missing after leaving for Cambodia on Aug. 19. His family told police that they received a Telegram video call on Aug. 24 from kidnappers who demanded a ransom of 20 million won ($14,000).

This followed a similar incident, in which a college student surnamed Park, 22, was found dead near Bokor Mountain in Kampot. Local authorities found that his death certificate claimed the cause of death was cardiac arrest due to severe pain from torture. His family told police that a man with a Chinese accent threatened them, demanding they hand over 50 million won.

According to the office of Rep. Park Chan-dae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, another Korean man who had been detained with the student before being rescued said the deceased victim was beaten to death.

Weak law enforcement

Experts say rife corruption and lax border controls have allowed crime syndicates to create these scam centers.

“Among Southeast Asian countries, Cambodia is especially economically vulnerable, and the core issue is the corrupt ties between criminals and local authorities,” said Lee Jae-hyun, an expert on Southeast Asia at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. “Many Chinese gangs run scam centers in Cambodia, and there are collusive relationships among these people. As a result, not only is the central government’s willingness to intervene weak, but even when it does try to take action, nothing works at the local level. That is the biggest problem.”

As regional crackdowns intensify in countries like China and Thailand, criminals have shifted their operations to Cambodia, where regulatory oversight and prosecution are less stringent, experts said.

Despite repeated cases, cooperation from authorities there has been slow and incomplete. Korean police officials have expressed frustration, noting difficulties in working with their Cambodian counterparts and calling for a dedicated “Korean desk” within Cambodia’s police force to better protect Korean citizens.

“It is true that, compared to other Southeast Asian countries, cooperation with police in Cambodia has not been smooth,” Yoo Jae-sung, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, told reporters on Monday. “At next week’s meeting with the deputy commissioner general of the Cambodian National Police, I will request the establishment of a Korean desk within Cambodia and call for strong action from local police.”

As to the rising concerns, the presidential office and relevant government organizations formed a task force to discuss measures to ensure the safety of Korean nationals in Cambodia. The team convened its first meeting on Monday, presided over by National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, with officials from the foreign affairs ministry, the justice ministry, the National Intelligence Service and the Korean National Police Agency.

"Director Wi Sung-lac emphasized that, above all, the swift repatriation of our detained citizens is important," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. "He also stressed the need to consider even a phased repatriation if necessary. Additionally, he discussed dispatching investigative authorities to Cambodia to cooperate in the investigation and assess the situation regarding the rescue of our citizens, in order to prevent further harm."