Cambodia – In a sweeping crackdown on online fraud operations, Cambodian authorities have arrested ten South Korean nationals and rescued two others, according to Seoul’s top diplomat. The move comes shortly after the repatriation of dozens of individuals accused of participating in large-scale cyberscam schemes.
Cambodia has seen a rapid expansion of multibillion-dollar scam operations in recent years, involving thousands of participants, some coerced and others complicit. Over the past weekend, 64 South Koreans linked to so-called “pig butchering” scams—a method of building victim trust before stealing funds—were repatriated.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun confirmed that the latest arrests and rescues occurred after the detainees were held on Thursday and will be sent home this week. Authorities are still searching for approximately 80 South Korean nationals who remain unaccounted for in Cambodia. Since last year, around 550 South Koreans have reportedly been missing or detained against their will after entering the country.
Seoul estimates that about 1,000 South Koreans are working among the 200,000 individuals involved in scam operations across Cambodia. Many have been forced to participate in “pig butchering” or romance scams under threat of violence.
Those deported over the weekend were escorted off their chartered flight in handcuffs upon arrival in South Korea. The National Police Agency is pursuing arrest warrants for 59 of them, with the repatriated individuals implicated in crimes such as voice phishing, romance scams, and “no-show” fraud schemes. Officials emphasized that the group included both voluntary and involuntary participants.
The crackdown follows heightened public outrage after the torture and death of a South Korean college student in Cambodia earlier this year, allegedly by a crime syndicate. South Korean officials recently held discussions with Cambodia’s prime minister and local police regarding fraudulent job offers and scam centres operating in the country.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.