Sixty-four South Koreans returned from Cambodia on Saturday amid investigations into their alleged involvement in online scam operations.
The repatriation follows heightened public anger after the death of a South Korean student who was reportedly forced to work in a Cambodian scam center, reports AP.
The chartered flight arrived at Incheon International Airport early Saturday, with passengers escorted in handcuffs by police and taken to secure transport waiting outside. Most of the returnees had been detained in Cambodia during raids on scam centers, and South Korean officials are now probing whether they joined the schemes voluntarily or were lured by deceptive job offers.
Seoul’s national security director, Wi Sung-lac, said authorities will investigate the extent of the individuals’ involvement. Cambodian officials earlier confirmed the repatriation and described the discussions as part of ongoing cooperation between the two countries to combat online fraud.
Scam operations in Cambodia are estimated to employ around 2 lakh people, including roughly 1,000 South Koreans.
The surge in online scams since the COVID-19 pandemic has produced dual victims, those forced to participate in the schemes and international targets defrauded through fake investments, gambling operations, and romance scams.
These operations generate billions of dollars each year for organized crime networks, experts estimated.
A South Korean travel ban now covers parts of Cambodia, including Bokor Mountain in Kampot province, where the deceased student was found.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has requested easing the restrictions.
President Lee Jae Myung instructed authorities to take swift action to remove illegal job advertisements not only in Cambodia but across Southeast Asia.
Interpol reports indicate that over the past three years, victims have been trafficked from regions including South America, Europe, and Africa, with new scam hubs emerging in the Middle East, West Africa, and Central America.
