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Prince Group stashes away over $63 mil. at Cambodian branches of Korean banks: lawmaker

Over 90 billion won ($63 million) has been stashed away at Cambodian branches of Korean banks by Cambodian conglomerate Prince Group, now suspected of having operated a global scam network, a lawmaker said Monday. According to Rep. Kang Min-kuk of the main opposition People Power Party, the Cambodian group made 52 transactions at five local branches of Korean banks in the Southeast Asian nation, totaling over 197 billion won. Of the total, about 91 billion won still remains deposited at the Cambodian branches of the Korean banks, including 56 billion won at KB Bank, 27 billion won at Jeonbuk Bank and 7 billion won at Woori Bank, the lawmaker said, citing data from the Financial Supervisory Service. Prince Group has been sanctioned by the global community for its involvement in kidnapping, torture and murder. The Korean government is also moving to sanction the Cambodian conglomerate as part of an international crackdown. The banking community said KB Bank and the four other Korean banks had already frozen Prince Group's deposits as of Thursday. During a parliamentary inspection, Lee Eog-we

Oct 20, 2025By Yonhap
Prince Group stashes away over $63 mil. at Cambodian branches of Korean banks: lawmaker

Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-defense chief, 4 others in Marine death probe

A special counsel team on Monday sought warrants to arrest former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and four others over allegations of government interference in a military probe into the 2023 death of a young Marine. The team, led by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon, made the request for former Defense Minister Lee on charges of abuse of power in connection to the alleged interference by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration in the initial probe. It also filed arrest warrants for former Marine Corps Commandant Kim Kye-hwan; Park Jin-hee, a former aide to Lee; Kim Dong-hyuk, former chief of the defense ministry's prosecution office; and Yoo Jae-eun, a former ministry legal affairs official. "The special counsel confirmed how unjust pressure was exerted on the probe and believes that numerous suspects who had held key public office conspired to commit crimes, such as abuse of power," assistant special counsel Choung Min-young said in a briefing. The team seeks the arrest of the five suspects due to concerns of destruction of evidence, Choung noted. Court hearings on whether to issue

Oct 20, 2025By Yonhap
Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-defense chief, 4 others in Marine death probe

Police seek arrest warrants for 58 scam suspects brought from Cambodia

Police said Monday they have sought arrest warrants for 58 suspects repatriated from Cambodia over their alleged involvement in various online scams. Sixty-four such suspects were flown home from Cambodia on Saturday, and one was arrested immediately with a pre-issued warrant. Of the remaining 63, four were released soon after, while one was released after the prosecution denied the police's request for an arrest warrant, the National Police Agency (NPA) said. Courts were scheduled to hold arrest warrant hearings for most of the 58 still in custody, and the results were expected to be out as early as Monday evening. By region, 45 suspects are being handled by the NPA's South Chungcheong Province office, while 15 are being handled by the North Gyeonggi Province office, including those that have already been released. The remaining four suspects are being investigated by the Daejeon, Gimpo and Wonju offices, as well as Seoul's Seodaemun office, respectively. The South Chungcheong office has been conducting investigations into romance and other scams that occurred between the end of last year

Oct 20, 2025By Yonhap
Police seek arrest warrants for 58 scam suspects brought from Cambodia

Thousands of Koreans do not return from Cambodia each year: lawmaker

Thousands of Koreans who went to Cambodia have not returned home in recent years, a lawmaker said Monday, citing government data, indicating that higher number of nationals were believed to be working at scam centers in the Southeast Asian country. The difference in the number of Koreans who departed for Cambodia and those who returned home stood at 3,209 in 2022, 2,662 in 2023 and 3,248 in 2024, according to justice ministry data submitted to Rep. Park Chan-dae of the Democratic Party of Korea. The figures mark a sharp rise from 113 in 2021. The large number of Koreans who have not returned home raises questions about whether the number of nationals involved in scam operations based in Cambodia could be higher than the government estimate of around 1,000. From January to August this year, 67,609 Koreans headed to Cambodia, while 66,745 returned, leaving a difference of 864 people. There are likely more who have not returned home, when considering those who entered Cambodia via a third country. Data from Cambodia's immigration agency showed 192,305 Koreans entered the country last year, ne

Oct 20, 2025By Yonhap
Thousands of Koreans do not return from Cambodia each year: lawmaker

Key suspect arrested in bank fraud ring tied to Korean student's death in Cambodia

A key suspect in a job scam that led to a Korean university student's death in Cambodia was arrested Sunday. The suspect, in his 20s, is accused of being the primary figure who lured the victim, surnamed Park, into opening a bank account before arranging his travel to Cambodia. There, the victim was allegedly confined and murdered by a voice phishing crime ring. Earlier in the day, a pre-trial detention hearing was held at the Andong branch of the Daegu District Court, which later issued the arrest warrant, citing a flight risk. Police have been investigating those involved in the illegal account distribution ring since the arrest of a broker in early September. They have also been tracking the flow of funds in Park's accounts and analyzing communication records. Park was found dead in August in a car near Bokor Mountain in southern Kampot Province. An autopsy on his body is scheduled to be conducted jointly by Korean and Cambodian authorities on Monday. The National Police Agency said seven people, including forensic doctors from the National Forensic Service, will leave for Cambodia aro

Oct 19, 2025By Yonhap
Key suspect arrested in bank fraud ring tied to Korean student's death in Cambodia

Korean student’s body awaits autopsy as rescue response faces criticism

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — “Every year, at least three or four Korean bodies are brought here,” said a worker at a temple crematorium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “Most of them are young. Another man in his 30s was cremated just a few days ago.” The worker spoke at Phnom Penh’s Tuktla Temple on Friday. This is where the body of a 22-year-old Korean student surnamed Park has been kept since August. Park was found dead after being kidnapped and tortured in a crime compound in Kampot’s Bokor Mountain region. Park had left for Cambodia on July 17, telling his family he was “attending an expo.” His body was discovered a month later. Foreigners who die under suspicious circumstances or without family in Cambodia are usually sent to this temple, which houses facilities for cremation and body preparation. “The Chinese are the most common here, but lately we see more Filipinos and Koreans,” the worker said, pointing toward the temple’s morgue. “The number of Korean victims seems to be increasing.” When asked if Park’s body showed visible signs of assault, the temple worker s

Oct 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
Korean student’s body awaits autopsy as rescue response faces criticism

Chartered flight departs to bring home Koreans detained in Cambodia

A chartered flight departed from Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway west of Seoul, on Friday to bring home approximately 60 Korean nationals who have been detained in Cambodia in connection with online scam operations, the Korean government said. The flight, KE9689, took off at around 7:26 p.m. for Phnom Penh. It is scheduled to depart the Cambodian capital at around 2 a.m. Saturday, carrying the Koreans, and expected to arrive in Incheon later in the day, the government said. A large number of law enforcement officers are reportedly on board the flight to escort the individuals being repatriated. Typically, two officers accompany each suspect during such extradition operations. Korea has sent a joint response team to Cambodia to address crimes targeting nationals amid public outrage over the torture and death of a Korean college student in August.

Oct 17, 2025By Yonhap
Chartered flight departs to bring home Koreans detained in Cambodia

Korean man involved in romance scam ring dies in Cambodia

A Korean national who was on Interpol's Red Notice list for his alleged involvement in a romance scam ring based in Cambodia has died in the Southeast Asian country, police here said Friday. The man, in his 50s, died at a local hospital in Cambodia in June, police officials said. The cause of death appears to be heart-related complications, though the specific circumstances behind his heart disease remain unclear, according to the officials. The suspect was a key recruiter for a criminal organization involved in a massive romance scam case under investigation by the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency. The scam is believed to have defrauded victims of approximately 12 billion won ($8.4 million) in total. After being notified of his death by diplomatic authorities, police officially closed the case against him last month. Police said they continue to investigate the romance scam ring and have taken measures, including having Red Notices and arrest warrants issued for 28 other individuals.

Oct 17, 2025By Yonhap
Korean man involved in romance scam ring dies in Cambodia

Special counsel to question ex-justice minister in Marine death probe

A special counsel team said Friday it plans to question former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae next week as a suspect as part of its investigation into allegations of government interference in a military probe surrounding the 2023 death of a young Marine. Park is scheduled to appear at the office of special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon in southern Seoul on Oct. 24 to face questioning. The former justice minister is accused of facilitating former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup's departure to Australia last year while Lee was under investigation over allegations of government interference in a military probe into the 2023 death of the Marine during an operation to search for flood victims. The former defense minister was under an exit ban at that time, but it was quickly lifted shortly after Lee was appointed as Korea's ambassador to Canberra. The special counsel suspects Park of assisting Lee, who is considered a key suspect in the alleged pressure on the military probe, in leaving the country to avoid investigation.

Oct 17, 2025By Yonhap
Special counsel to question ex-justice minister in Marine death probe

Cambodian hotel under US sanctions remains open as tourism, crime coexist in Sihanoukville

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia — On the night of Oct. 15, the five-star Jin Bei Palace Hotel in downtown Sihanoukville, Cambodia, was brightly lit and bustling with activity. The seven-story building, featuring more than 200 luxury rooms and a large casino, was packed with Chinese-speaking guests as luxury cars pulled up in front, one after another. The hotel belongs to Prince Group, which was placed under sweeping sanctions by the United States and the United Kingdom the same day. The two governments said that the conglomerate operates at least 10 scam networks in Cambodia and has engaged in large-scale human trafficking and torture. The sanctions targeted 117 affiliates of the group and its Chinese-born, chairman Chen Zhi, 38, along with the group’s casino and hotel subsidiary, Jin Bei Group. The hotel continued to operate. When this reporter revisited the next morning and asked whether it remained open despite the sanctions, an employee said, “I don’t know anything about that,” before quickly ushering the reporter outside. While the hotel appeared normal on the surface, locals sa

Oct 17, 2025By Hankookilbo
Cambodian hotel under US sanctions remains open as tourism, crime coexist in Sihanoukville
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