South Korea has plunged into shock and outrage after a university student was reportedly tortured to death by an online scam ring in Cambodia, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to demand “all-out diplomatic efforts” to safeguard citizens trapped in similar situations abroad.
During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Lee stressed that “protecting the lives and safety of citizens is the government’s highest duty,” directing officials to ensure the immediate repatriation of all South Koreans victimized by cross-border scam networks, reports The Guardian and Yonhap News.
The tragedy has cast a spotlight on a surge in abductions of South Korean nationals in Cambodia, where criminal syndicates lure young people with lucrative job offers before forcing them into cybercrime operations—particularly online fraud and voice phishing.
Victims who resist are reportedly subjected to brutal violence, including beatings with metal pipes and electric shocks, according to accounts shared with lawmaker Park Chan-dae and reported by Yonhap News.
The latest victim, identified as 22-year-old university student Park Min-ho, was found dead near Bokor Mountain in Kampot province – an area notorious for human trafficking and scam compounds – two weeks after he disappeared in mid-July.
Cambodian investigators said he died following “severe torture,” with extensive bruising found across his body. A witness who was later rescued told authorities that Park had been so badly injured he could neither walk nor breathe, ultimately dying in a vehicle while being transported to hospital.
Park’s body has remained in Cambodia for over two months, with his grieving family describing the delay in repatriation as “killing him twice.” South Korea has requested a joint autopsy to clarify the circumstances of his death.
Cambodian prosecutors have charged three Chinese nationals with murder and online fraud linked to the case, while two other suspects remain on the run.
According to reports, Park had left home for what he said was a summer exhibition trip, only for his family to receive a ransom demand of 50 million won (approximately $36,000) a week later.
As public anger mounts, Seoul’s national security adviser Wi Sung-lac has established an emergency task force to expedite the return of scam victims and prevent further abductions. Authorities are also considering setting up a permanent “Korean Desk” in Cambodia, allowing South Korean police to coordinate directly with their Cambodian counterparts instead of relying solely on embassy channels.
Cambodia’s interior ministry, meanwhile, has disputed some media claims, saying it received no prior complaint from Park’s family or the Korean embassy before discovering his body. The ministry insists it is cooperating fully with South Korean investigators.
Senior Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Un-Ju warned that Seoul should take “strong measures” if Cambodian authorities fail to act decisively, underscoring the mounting diplomatic tension between the two nations.
According to South Korea’s foreign ministry, reported cases of Koreans being kidnapped in Cambodia skyrocketed from just 17 in 2023 to 220 last year, and already 330 by August this year.
In response, Seoul has raised travel alerts for Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and Bokor Mountain, urging citizens to avoid non-essential visits.
Amnesty International recently reported the presence of at least 53 large-scale scam compounds in Cambodia, accusing local authorities of negligence and complicity in allowing such operations to thrive.
As investigations continue, Park’s death has become a chilling symbol of the dark underbelly of digital crime in Southeast Asia and a test of Seoul’s ability to protect its citizens abroad.
