South Korea is grappling with an alarming surge in online scam operations in Cambodia, as new government data and survivor testimonies reveal a crisis of far greater magnitude than previously believed. The latest developments come amid a flurry of diplomatic activity, high-level government statements, and mounting pressure for systemic reforms to protect Korean nationals abroad.
On October 16, 2025, Cambodian authorities arrested about 10 South Koreans suspected of involvement in online scam crimes during a sweeping crackdown, according to Yonhap News Agency. On the same day, two South Korean nationals believed to be victims of these crimes were rescued in Cambodia, with plans for their repatriation this week. These actions follow the return home of more than 60 Korean nationals linked to online scams from Cambodia by October 20, 2025, underscoring the scale and urgency of the problem.
The situation escalated after the tragic death of a South Korean college student, reportedly killed after being tortured by an online job scam ring. The incident sparked public outrage and forced the government to confront the sprawling network of organized crime targeting South Koreans in Southeast Asia. As Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated during a press briefing, "The early warning system is designed to expand our 24-hour overseas safety monitoring center run by the ministry's consular bureau, with a particular focus on online scam issues in Southeast Asia."
South Korea’s Ministry of Justice now estimates that the total number of Koreans involved in online scams or trafficked in Cambodia may far exceed the previously cited figure of around 1,000 individuals. The reality, officials fear, is that both perpetrators and victims—some working with international crime rings, others deceived and forced into labor—are caught up in a crisis that is only beginning to be understood.
According to multiple reports, there are broadly two groups of Koreans involved in these scams. Some voluntarily traveled to Cambodia to participate in fraud operations, often under the control of Chinese criminal syndicates. Others, however, were lured by promises of high-paying jobs, only to be trafficked and forced to work in brutal conditions. These victims, as survivors have recounted in harrowing media interviews, are subjected to beatings, torture, and even death if they fail to meet performance targets. The abuse amounts to modern-day slavery, with some survivors reporting that individuals killed or tortured to death were cremated without their families ever being notified. There are even suspected cases of illegal organ harvesting within these scam compounds.
One survivor described seeing around 50 Koreans detained in a single facility, suggesting that the number of Koreans trapped or killed in Cambodia may be far higher than official estimates. The United Nations reported in September 2022 that more than 100,000 people had been trafficked to Cambodia for forced labor and sexual exploitation, painting a grim picture of the region’s human trafficking crisis.
During a Cabinet meeting on October 15, 2025, President Lee Jae Myung acknowledged the gravity of the situation. He stated, “Korea is likely ranked fifth or sixth in terms of the number of nationals forced to work against their will,” though he did not disclose specific figures. This admission came as new data from Rep. Park Chan-dae of the ruling Democratic Party, based on justice ministry figures, showed a sharp rise in the discrepancy between the number of Koreans departing for Cambodia and those returning. While the gap was just 113 in 2021, it surged to 3,209 in 2022 and reached 3,248 by 2024. The data suggest a dramatic increase in the number of Koreans who have not returned, raising urgent questions about their whereabouts and well-being.
Rep. Park has called for a comprehensive fact-finding mission, urging the government to cross-check all available departure and arrival records from the justice ministry and police. “Accurate data is essential to understand the scale and magnitude of the victimization of Koreans,” Park said, pledging to work with fellow lawmakers to secure the necessary budget for such investigations during the National Assembly’s review of next year’s government spending proposal. He also cautioned that Cambodia may be only the tip of the iceberg, as international criminal organizations could be trafficking Koreans in other Southeast Asian countries and forcing them to work in similar online scam operations.
Amid these revelations, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun announced a series of measures aimed at better protecting Korean nationals overseas. The foreign ministry plans to hire 40 additional consular personnel and launch an early warning system for the Southeast Asian region to enable swifter and more efficient consular access for Koreans in urgent need of assistance. Consular officials from South Korean diplomatic missions in neighboring countries will also be sent on a rotational basis to handle the spike in workload related to these crimes. In addition, the ministry has launched a full-scale inspection of South Korean citizens connected to online scams worldwide to determine the total number involved.
“The early warning system is designed to expand our 24-hour overseas safety monitoring center run by the ministry’s consular bureau, with a particular focus on online scam issues in Southeast Asia,” Cho explained. These steps are intended to provide rapid support to Koreans in distress and prevent further tragedies.
As the crisis deepens, questions have arisen over the future of South Korea’s official development assistance (ODA) for Cambodia. Critics have debated whether it is appropriate to continue ODA programs in light of the ongoing scam crisis. A senior foreign ministry official clarified, “Linking this incident to ODA would not be consistent with our national standing, and it could make it seem as though we are using ODA as a bargaining tool, so we will not do that.” However, the official added, “We might consider using ODA to help strengthen (Cambodia’s) public security capacity, such as that required for local police.”
South Korea has quadrupled its low-interest loan program for Cambodia under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund, run by the finance ministry, during the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The Cambodian government, for its part, is cooperating closely with Seoul to address the crisis, motivated in part by concerns that continued neglect could undermine its vital tourism industry.
“The Cambodian government is well aware of the current situation, and concerned that neglecting it could backfire and undermine its tourism industry, so it has been cooperating well,” a South Korean official noted. “We believe we can respond effectively through close consultations with the Cambodian government.”
With survivor testimonies painting a picture of brutality and despair, and the number of missing or detained Koreans rising sharply, the crisis in Cambodia has become a test of the Korean government’s ability to protect its citizens abroad. As investigations continue and new rescue missions are planned, officials and families alike are left hoping that swift, coordinated action can bring relief to those still trapped in Cambodia’s criminal underworld—and prevent similar tragedies elsewhere in Southeast Asia.