SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Two more South Koreans were rescued and about a dozen others reportedly involved in online job scams and phishing schemes were arrested in Cambodia, following a crackdown, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told reporters during a press briefing in Seoul on Monday.
According to Cho, they are expected to be repatriated this week, following last Saturday's deportation of more than 60 South Korean detainees allegedly involved in similar crimes in the Southeast Asian country.
The development comes after recent revelations of a series of kidnappings, detentions and brutal tortures involving South Koreans including the case of a South Korean college student who traveled to the Southeast Asian country after being lured by an online employment scam in August and was later found to have been tortured to death.
In response to these crimes, Cho said the government is stepping up efforts to tackle sprawling crime rings targeting South Koreans in Phnom Penh, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs planning to increase consular staff up to 40 and implement proactive measures to identify cases early and prevent incidents before victims report them.
Additionally, personnel from nearby Southeast Asian embassies will rotate or be temporarily assigned to Cambodia for one to two months to provide assistance.
"Embassy staff will also be prepared to respond around the clock," a ministry official said, adding that the Cambodian government is well aware of the situation and is cooperating with South Korea to prevent damage to its tourism industry.
When asked about the possible involvement of Chinese-led criminal organizations, the official said discussions would take place once more evidence and specific details are gathered.
The ministry is also currently working with Cambodian authorities to locate the whereabouts of some 80 missing South Korean citizens.
* This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP.
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