September 3, 2025
SEOUL – A total of 252 cases of Koreans being kidnapped and confined in Cambodia had been reported as of July this year, sharply up from 17 in 2023 and 220 in 2024, according to local media reports Tuesday, citing government data.
Korean broadcaster MBC has reported that a woman in her 20s who was recently rescued after being confined in Cambodia said at least 13 more Koreans remain locked in the buildings where she had been held. She said she was lured to Cambodia by a fraudulent job offer promising high pay, but was abducted after taking a car arranged by a Korean-speaking Cambodian man she met at the airport.
The victim said she was robbed of 18 million won ($12,900) from her bank account and was beaten and tortured for several days until she could barely walk. She also told the broadcaster that when she entered one of the rooms she saw rows of people, presumed to be Korean, laying face down on the floor in front of computers and other devices. During her stay, they were identified only by numbers and forbidden from sharing their names.
Last month, a Korean man surnamed Park was found dead in Cambodia with signs of assault and torture. Authorities believe he died after being forced to work at an illegal call center.
The Korean government said it has asked Cambodian police to conduct a prompt investigation.
Such crime rings in Cambodia are believed to involve collusion between Triads — a Chinese organized crime group — and Cambodian officials. Amnesty International reported recently that more than 50 large-scale criminal complexes have been established in Cambodia, with brutal violence and human trafficking on the rise.