August 18, 2025
SEOUL – The body of a South Korean man has been discovered in an alleged Cambodian scam compound, wrapped in blankets and plastic bags, his face swollen and bruised, indicating he may have been beaten to death.
Cambodian police said the body was found Thursday in Kampot province, inside a large dumpster alongside another victim. South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed one of the dead as a Korean national surnamed Park.
The ministry said it immediately requested a full investigation from Cambodian authorities and is providing consular support to Park’s family, although officials noted that “confirming further details has been difficult.”
What happened to Park appears bound up in the shadowy world of cybercrime compounds. The site where his body was discovered is one of dozens of massive operations in Cambodia reportedly run by Chinese organized crime groups. These compounds, often sealed off and heavily guarded, are infamous for voice phishing and fraudulent investment scams.
Park is believed to have been held inside before being killed by the gang.
The description of his body paints a grim picture. Local investigators reported extensive bruising and bloodstains, with swelling that suggests he endured sustained violence.
The brutality echoes accounts from survivors of these scam compounds. One 28-year-old South Korean man who recently escaped told South Korean media, “Chinese gang members will kill someone easily if money is involved.” He described beatings, electric shock and waterboarding as routine.
Amnesty International estimates that more than 50 such scam compounds operate across Cambodia. Rights groups and local media alike describe them as places where national law enforcement has little reach, functioning almost as self-contained criminal enclaves.
Local reports suspect that an unspecified number of South Koreans may be trapped inside these compounds, deceived by job postings advertising “high-paying overseas employment” only to find themselves trafficked into forced labor once they have arrived.
Data obtained by the office of Rep. Kim Geon from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that the number of South Koreans reported kidnapped or detained in Cambodia rose from 21 in 2023 to 221 in 2024. In the first half of 2025 alone, officials estimate 212 cases, suggesting this year’s total could reach double last year’s figure.
Despite the scale of the crisis, South Korea has struggled to intervene. Officials acknowledge that Cambodian scam compounds often operate beyond effective state control and that Seoul lacks investigative authority on the ground.
At present only one South Korean police officer is stationed at the embassy in Phnom Penh. Victims who contact the embassy are advised to report directly to Cambodian police, as the embassy cannot carry out rescue missions or investigations on its own.