(2nd LD) Cambodian PM voices 'deep regret' over death of S. Korean nat'l in job scam

▲ Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina (L) speaks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during their meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Oct. 16, 2025, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) Cambodia PM-Korean death

(2nd LD) Cambodian PM voices 'deep regret' over death of S. Korean nat'l in job scam

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By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday expressed "deep regret" over the torture death of a South Korean national in an illegal online job scam in his country, promising to step up efforts to protect South Koreans in the Southeast Asian nation.

Hun made the remarks during a meeting with a South Korean government response team, led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na, visiting Phnom Penh this week to address the violent organized crime to which many South Koreans have fallen victim.

"Prime Minister Hun expressed his deep regret and condolences over the death of a South Korean national, vowing to make greater efforts to arrest the suspects who remain at large and ensure the safety of South Korean nationals in Cambodia," the foreign ministry in Seoul said in a press release.

A college student in his 20s was found dead in southern Cambodia in August, after allegedly suffering from torture while he was in captivity by an online scam ring. His death has sparked public outrage in South Korea, prompting Seoul to take action across the board to tackle the issue.

Hun also promised active efforts at the government level to crack down on online scams and voiced hope to work with South Korea to combat the crime.

Hun is leading Cambodia's Commission for Combatting Online Scams (CCOS), a high-level task force set up to prevent and crack down on online scams.

Kim expressed "strong regret" over increasing online job scam cases targeting South Korean people in Cambodia, urging its cooperation and active efforts to come up with countermeasures in order to put an end to the crime.

Kim called for active cooperation from Cambodian authorities to enable a swift repatriation of some 60 South Koreans detained in Cambodia over their suspected involvement in the job scams.

She also requested cooperation for procedural matters required for the return of the body of the deceased victim, including conducting the autopsy and providing investigation records, to ensure the process can be concluded as quickly as possible.

Cambodian authorities plan to deport on Friday 59 South Koreans detained due to their alleged involvement in the scams, according to an AFP report.

"The establishment of this task force is aimed at creating a system that allows prompt action when crimes targeting South Korean citizens occur in Cambodia," Park Sung-joo, head of the National Office of Investigation and a member of the response team, told reporters in a press briefing.

Regarding South Korea's recent elevation of the travel alert on Cambodia, Kim explained to Hun that it was an "inevitable" decision considering the current crisis and that Seoul will consider easing the warning as the situation improves.

Hun called for an early downgrade of the travel warning, voicing concern over its "negative impact" on Cambodia's investment and tourism, according to the ministry's release.

On Wednesday, South Korea announced a travel ban on Cambodia's Bokor Mountain region in Kampot Province, and the cities of Bavet and Poipet, and raised the travel alert calling on its citizens in Sihanoukville Province, an online scam hotspot, to leave the region.

In response to Hun's concerns over the growing negative coverage of Cambodia in Korean media, Kim called for closer coordination between the two sides to improve South Korea's increasingly negative public perception of the country following the job scam crisis.

Kim also said the two countries could explore development cooperation projects to help enhance Cambodia's public security capabilities.

Before meeting the prime minister, Kim met with Chhay Sinarith, the secretary-general of the CCOS, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation for the protection of South Korean nationals in Cambodia, including the envisioned launch of a bilateral task force on scam crime responses.

Earlier in the day, the Korean joint response team visited an online scam complex in the Takeo region, south of Phnom Penh, to inspect the site with Cambodian authorities and received briefings on crackdown operations.

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