Seoul: South Korean authorities are seeking to detain most of the 64 citizens recently repatriated from Cambodia amid allegations of involvement in large-scale online scams, including voice phishing, romance fraud, and emerging "no-show" scams. Police have filed requests with the courts to detain 58 of the repatriates, while one individual is already in custody, according to a statement from law enforcement officials.
The return of the South Koreans follows the tragic death of a compatriot who was lured to Cambodia under the pretext of a high-paying job but was drawn into fraudulent operations. The United Nations has highlighted that scam centers across Southeast Asia, which proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic, generate billions of dollars annually, often employing hundreds of thousands of individuals, some of whom are coerced under threat of violence.
In response, the South Korean government has issued a "code-black" travel advisory for parts of Cambodia and established a dedicated task force to support nationals deceived into working in such compounds. Authorities are also reviewing reports that some returnees were forcibly detained and beaten while operating in scam centers.
Internationally, the United Kingdom and United States have recently sanctioned the Cambodia-based Prince Group, a multinational network accused of trafficking workers to online scam centers across Southeast Asia. The sanctions target operations that lured individuals through fake job advertisements and compelled them to commit online fraud under threats of violence.
South Korean officials estimate that approximately 1,000 nationals are among the roughly 200,000 individuals employed in these scam operations across Cambodia and neighboring countries. Police have pledged a thorough investigation into all allegations, including potential cases of kidnapping and forced labor, as they work to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further exploitation.
This move underscores South Korea’s intensified efforts to protect its citizens from international fraud schemes and dismantle organized cybercrime networks exploiting vulnerable workers abroad.