(LEAD) S. Korea seeks to repatriate some 60 nationals detained in Cambodia by weekend

▲ National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac briefs on the government's response to crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia during a meeting with reporters at the presidential office in Seoul on Oct. 15, 2025. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) security adviser-Cambodia

(LEAD) S. Korea seeks to repatriate some 60 nationals detained in Cambodia by weekend

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details from 5th para; RECASTS headline, lead para)

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is making efforts to bring back some 60 nationals detained by Cambodian authorities over job scams by this weekend, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Wednesday, as a joint response team was set to depart for Phnom Penh to address crimes targeting Koreans following public outrage over the torture and death of a Korean student.

Wi told reporters that some 60 Korean suspects are being kept in custody after they were apprehended by Cambodian law enforcement authorities in the job scam crackdown. Separately, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday that about 80 Koreans linked to job scams in Cambodia are missing or their safety cannot be confirmed.

"Our top priority is to bring home some 60 Koreans detained by Cambodian authorities. It is important to swiftly remove them from the crime scene," Wi said. "We are making efforts to repatriate them by this weekend."

"Once they return to Korea, they will be subject to investigation and legal action depending on their level of involvement," he added, noting that they are among several thousand people rounded up in Cambodia's recent crackdown on criminal activities.

The surge in crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia has made headlines following public outrage over the brutal torture and death of the college student in August, whose body has yet to be repatriated.

Wi said the repatriation process of the victim's body has been delayed due to internal review procedures for a joint autopsy involving Korean officials, noting authorities from both nations plan to carry out the autopsy together and bring his body back soon.

He underscored the importance of close coordination with Cambodian authorities to locate South Koreans who may be held captive by criminal organizations engaged in online scams.

"One of the most urgent tasks right now is to quickly bring back to Korea those who may still be held in confinement or whose whereabouts have not yet been confirmed," Wi said.

The official said about 200,000 people of various nationalities are believed to be involved in online scam operations based in Cambodia, including an estimated 1,000 South Koreans.

In addition to efforts to ensure the safety of its nationals in Cambodia, Wi said the government will intensify measures to prevent Koreans from traveling to the Southeast Asian nation in search of fraudulent, high-paying jobs linked to voice phishing and other scam operations targeting Korean nationals.

When asked whether crimes targeting Koreans could affect Seoul's official development assistance (ODA) to the Southeast Asian nation, Wi said the two issues are not directly related.

"ODA should be assessed based on the validity of its own objectives, and that evaluation should be made on a project-by-project basis," he said.

(END)

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