Friend Who Went Abroad Goes "Silent"... 617 South Koreans Out of Contact, What's Going On?

Incidents involving South Koreans topped 4,016 last year
Reports of lost contact, kidnapping, and unlawful confinement more than doubled in a year

The number of incidents involving South Koreans in the 10 countries with the most travel advisories issued exceeded 4,000 last year. That was an increase of nearly 50% in a single year.

According to data obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean National Police Agency by Assemblyman Kim Junhwan of the Democratic Party of Korea on October 26, the number of incidents involving South Koreans in the 10 countries that received the most travel advisories from 2022 through early September 2026 rose by 1,308, or 48.3%, from 2,708 in 2024 to 4,016 in 2025.

The duty-free area of Terminal 2 at Incheon International Airport was crowded with travelers on the 23rd of last month, a day before the Chuseok holiday, one of the country's biggest traditional holidays. Photo by Kang Jinhyung.

The countries and regions are Russia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cambodia, Thailand, Tibet and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China, El Salvador, Mexico, Lebanon, Iran, and Laos. In some cases, travel advisories apply to only certain areas rather than an entire country.

By type of incident, reports of people being "out of contact" saw the largest increase, rising by 369 from 248 in 2024 to 617 in 2025. Reports of lost items increased by 350, from 730 to 1,080.

Kidnapping and confinement cases more than doubled, rising from 246 to 553. Suspected missing-person cases increased by 149, from 39 to 188, or about 4.8 times the 2024 figure. Being out of contact and suspected missing-person cases are classified separately from kidnapping and confinement, and do not necessarily mean that a crime has been confirmed.

Other incidents, including arson and property damage, rose by 148, from 851 to 999, while thefts increased by 25, from 64 to 89.

China had the most incidents, with 1,580. It was followed by Thailand with 1,101 and Cambodia with 917. Incidents in Cambodia alone increased by 569 in a year. Among these, kidnapping and confinement cases surged from 221 to 510, while suspected missing-person cases jumped from 9 to 170. Reports of people being out of contact also increased, from 52 to 124.

When planning a trip abroad, travelers should check not only the advisory level for their destination but also the specific areas covered by the advisory. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues travel advisories for countries and regions after taking into account factors including crime, political instability, health risks, terrorism, and disasters.

Travel advisories are divided into four levels: ▲Level 1, a blue advisory, "Exercise Normal Precautions"; ▲Level 2, a yellow advisory, "Exercise Increased Caution"; ▲Level 3, a red advisory, "Reconsider Travel"; and ▲Level 4, a black advisory, "Do Not Travel." For Level 3 areas, travelers are advised to cancel or postpone their trips, while residents are advised to leave unless they have essential reasons to remain. In Level 4 areas, travelers must comply with the travel ban, and residents must evacuate immediately.

Assemblyman Kim said, "I hope the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean National Police Agency will do their utmost to protect citizens when they need consular assistance," adding, "I urge anyone planning to travel abroad to check the Safe Travel website before departure."

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