FM announces sweeping reforms in consular services amid Cambodian crime ring crisis

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun speaks during a meeting with lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday that his ministry will undertake sweeping reforms in consular services, including adding 40 specialized personnel, amid a growing crisis involving Koreans trapped by scam syndicates in Cambodia.

The ministry also plans to launch an early warning system across Southeast Asia to better assist Koreans affected by crimes or other emergencies.

"We plan to request an additional 40 consular staffers, significantly increasing our presence in Cambodia and other Southeast Asian countries," Cho said during a press briefing, stressing the need for extraordinary measures to better protect Koreans abroad.

He added that the deployment of additional personnel will be coordinated with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, though an exact timeline has yet to be finalized. Not all 40 staffers will be assigned overseas, he said, noting that some will remain at headquarters to support operations.

Cho also said the ministry will launch an early warning system in high-risk areas, using existing resources such as a 24/7 consular call center and overseas missions.

"Previously, consular assistance only began once someone affected by an incident reached out to the embassy. Now, we are trying to widen our radar so that we can quickly detect and respond to similar cases before they arise."

The announcement comes as Korean authorities struggle to provide consular support for nationals ensnared in online scam operations in Cambodia, with estimates suggesting that as many as 1,000 may be affected.

A man repatriated from Cambodia is taken from the Hongseong branch of the Daejeon District Court in South Chungcheong Province, Monday, after the court reviewed whether to issue an arrest warrant for him. Warrant review hearings were held for 45 repatriates under police investigation on fraud charges. Yonhap

According to Cho, Cambodian authorities arrested 10 additional Koreans connected to online scam operations on Thursday, while rescuing two people who told police they had been confined against their will. All 12 are expected to be repatriated to Seoul this week.

On Saturday, 64 Koreans were repatriated from the Southeast Asian nation, all accused of participating in fraud operations and related crimes. Upon their return, police sought arrest warrants for 59 of them. Four others were released without being immediately charged. One person for whom a warrant had already been issued was detained immediately.

The involvement of Koreans in Cambodia-based crime rings drew widespread attention after the death of a 22-year-old man in August, who was found dead after allegedly being tortured.

Most of those involved were young Koreans lured through online ads promising jobs with high salaries. Upon arriving in Cambodia, many found themselves held captive and forced to participate in online scams or extortion schemes.

The foreign ministry said it will continue coordinating with Cambodian authorities to locate an estimated 80 missing Koreans there, who are believed to be victims of trafficking by these criminal organizations.

Seoul has been careful to avoid actions that could escalate into a diplomatic dispute with Cambodia. While some lawmakers have suggested cutting official development assistance (ODA) budgets or deploying military operations there, officials have ruled out such measures.

"Military measures, in particular, could raise serious sovereignty concerns, and we must be careful not to take such actions,” a foreign ministry official said during a closed-door briefing. "Linking this incident directly to our ODA would not be appropriate for our national dignity, and we have no intention of making it appear as if aid is being exchanged in this way."

Instead, the official proposed leveraging ODA projects in Cambodia to bolster local police capacity through personnel training and the provision of equipment, aiming to strengthen law enforcement and improve responses to similar crimes in the future.