Government Dispatches Interagency Team to Cambodia; Considers Raising Travel Alert

Ruling Party Launches Overseas Korean Safety Task Force
Team Dispatched Immediately to Cambodia

On October 15, the government announced that it would dispatch an interagency response team to Cambodia in relation to recent cases of employment scams, abductions, and detentions involving Korean nationals. The government is also considering raising the travel alert level for Cambodia. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Korea has launched a task force for the safety of overseas Koreans, headed by Supreme Council member Kim Byungjoo, and will send the team to Cambodia immediately.

According to the government, later today, the interagency response team, led by Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jina, will depart for Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. In addition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the team includes officials from the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Intelligence Service.

Yonhap News Agency

The interagency response team is expected to discuss procedures with Cambodian authorities regarding the investigation, autopsy, and repatriation of remains in connection with the torture and death of a Korean university student that occurred in August. The team will also negotiate the repatriation process for Korean nationals who were detained in Cambodian prisons following online scam crackdowns in July and September. It is reported that, locally, detainees are held for about two months before being deported. Currently, approximately 63 Koreans remain in custody.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The detained Koreans were apprehended during online scam crackdowns and are subject to deportation, but they are refusing consular assistance from the embassy and repatriation." The official added, "We are working closely with the police to ensure their swift return to Korea."

In addition, the government plans to raise the travel alert level for Cambodia in the near future. Currently, due to employment scams, abductions, detentions, and the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, a special travel advisory (level 2.5) is in effect for 11 regions, including Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. If the alert level is raised, a level 3 (red alert) or level 4 (black alert) could be issued. A red alert recommends departure from the country, while a black alert prohibits travel altogether. With about 10,000 Korean residents and nearly 200,000 tourists visiting annually, such measures could have a significant impact.

Given that the ambassador post in Cambodia is currently vacant, the government is reportedly planning to dispatch Park Il, former ambassador to Lebanon, to Cambodia. This is intended to ensure that ambassador-level personnel can oversee embassy work, considering the difficulty of immediately filling the vacancy.

Meanwhile, both the ruling and opposition parties have called for urgent action in light of the seriousness of the situation. Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party, who decided to dispatch the task force, stated, "The most urgent task now is the swift rescue of affected citizens," and added, "Through the task force, we will thoroughly investigate overseas employment scams, simplify the reporting process, and actively support strengthened cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the police, and local law enforcement authorities."

Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, also appeared on KBS Radio and said, "There is a structural problem, as international crime organizations have been establishing criminal complexes in Cambodia since last year." He stressed, "To resolve this, the ambassador, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the President must all become directly involved."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.