Korea, Cambodia agree to launch joint task force to combat online scams

President Lee Jae Myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet hold their first summit at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed Monday to form a joint task force to combat scams targeting Koreans, responding to growing public concerns over recent abduction and detention cases involving Korean nationals in Cambodia.

According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, the task force will begin operations next month. It will include Korean police officers dispatched to Cambodia. The size and operational details of the force will be determined as soon as possible.

Lee, who is visiting Malaysia to attend the ASEAN Summit, held a bilateral meeting with the Cambodian prime minister on the sidelines of the multilateral event.

“President Lee expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Hun for the Cambodian government’s cooperation in repatriating Korean nationals and assisting victims in scam-related cases,” Kang said at a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur. “The two leaders agreed to actively coordinate efforts for an effective joint response to these crimes.”

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet ahead of their summit at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday. Yonhap

The agreement came after it was made public earlier this month that as many as 2,000 Koreans have been ensnared in online scam operations in Cambodia after arriving in the country via job ads. They are allegedly forced to participate in the scams, making them both the victims and perpetrators within these criminal organizations.

According to Kang, the Cambodian prime minister said his country has already begun close consultations with a Korean government response team dispatched about 10 days ago and emphasized that Cambodia’s public security situation had significantly improved following recent crackdowns on scam compounds and other transnational criminal networks.

In response, Lee said Seoul would consider lowering travel advisories for Phnom Penh and other regions “in light of the improving security situation and the launch of the joint task force."

During the talks, Hun also offered condolences over the recent death of a Korean university student who had been abducted in Cambodia, describing it as “a tragic incident,” and emphasized that Phnom Penh is “working closely with Seoul to track down those involved in scam-related crimes.”

“This is not an issue that any single country can resolve,” Hun said. “While I do not wish to assign blame, regional countries must work together to address it.”

He added that Cambodia places “the highest priority” on combating transnational crimes and is “listening carefully to the concerns” of foreign residents, including Korean nationals in Cambodia.

President Lee Jae Myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet attend a bilateral summit at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday. Yonhap

Lee, for his part, noted, “The Korean public is extremely sensitive to scam crimes at the moment.” He expressed gratitude to the Cambodian authorities for their “special consideration toward Korean nationals” in responding to the issue.

The two leaders also agreed to continue expanding bilateral exchanges in trade, investment and people-to-people cooperation, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership established after the two countries formed diplomatic ties in 1997.

Lee highlighted that Korean companies have made meaningful contributions to Cambodia’s economic development and asked for continued support in resolving operational difficulties faced by Korean investors. Hun pledged to instruct relevant ministries to address those concerns.

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during the ASEAN+3 Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia, Monday. Yonhap

Later in the day, the Korean president told ASEAN leaders that eliminating organized criminal networks and cross-border scam centers must be a shared regional priority.