South Korea summons Cambodian ambassador over series of citizen kidnappings

Seoul [South Korea], October 11: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun summoned the Cambodian ambassador on October 10 following reports of a spike in kidnappings of South Korean citizens linked to job scams in the Southeast Asian country.
According to the office of South Korean lawmaker Na Kyung-won, the number of reported kidnappings of South Koreans in Cambodia has jumped from an average of 10 to 20 cases per year to 220 in 2024 and 330 by August 2025.
The latest incident involving the death of a male South Korean student who was allegedly kidnapped and tortured by a Cambodian criminal group has shocked public opinion in South Korea, according to AFP.
According to Ms. Na, many victims were lured by fake job offers with high salaries, then detained and forced to work in fraudulent centers.
"Today, I summoned Cambodian Ambassador Khuon Phon Rattanak to express my deep concern over the employment fraud and detention cases involving Korean nationals in Cambodia," Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said in a statement.
Mr. Cho called for "swift and concrete action to eliminate online scams," adding that Seoul has issued a special travel advisory for the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.
"I also propose stronger measures to prevent further tragic losses and strengthen cooperation between the police forces of the two countries," Cho said.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper