South Korea is repatriating dozens of its citizens caught up in Cambodian online scam operations, an intensified effort driven by public anger following the recent death of a South Korean student allegedly trafficked by a scam gang.
Four South Koreans detained in Cambodia as part of a crackdown on transnational scam operations returned home this week. An additional 63 South Koreans are expected to be flown back by the end of the week.
Wee Sung-rak, South Korea’s National Security Director, confirmed the accelerated timeline. The original goal was to repatriate all citizens within a month. Special charter flights are being arranged for the larger group.
The urgent repatriations come in response to significant public pressure in South Korea. This pressure mounted after a 20-year-old male student died in Cambodia last August. He had reportedly been lured into working for a scam syndicate and was subsequently tortured.
Police confirmed some suspects were sent back on two national airline flights earlier this week. Some of these individuals were on an INTERPOL watchlist, requiring advance arrest warrants under South Korean law.
Commercial flights are subject to restrictions, carrying a maximum of two suspects per flight. At least two police officers must accompany each suspect, making the repatriation process for all detainees a complex operation requiring multiple flights.
Seoul has established a joint task force with Cambodian authorities to address transnational crime seriously. This team is slated to arrive in Cambodia shortly.