South Korea has decided to send an interagency special task force to Cambodia to cooperate in investigating and rescuing its citizens who were deceived into traveling there for so-called “easy, high-paying jobs.”
President Lee Jae Myung expressed a strong determination to address the situation during a Cabinet meeting on October 14.
At the meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and the National Police Agency reported on the current situation and proposed countermeasures against job fraud and the illegal detention of South Korean citizens in Cambodia.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) speaks at a cabinet meeting on October 14. Photo: Yonhap
Following these reports, President Lee Jae Myung decided to dispatch an inter-ministerial special task force to Cambodia to assist in the investigation and the rescue of the victims.
The task force, led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na, includes officials from the National Police Agency and the National Intelligence Service. According to The Korea Times and Yonhap News Agency, the team departed for Cambodia on October 15.
Their mission is to work with Cambodian authorities to verify the identities of the victims, oversee repatriation efforts, and ensure the safety of South Korean nationals.
“Our top priority is to protect the victims and bring them home safely and as quickly as possible. All ministries and agencies must mobilize every available resource and act immediately,”
President Lee emphasized, instructing officials to identify missing citizens and take every possible measure to secure their safety.
The Office of the President of South Korea stated that 63 South Korean nationals are currently being detained in Cambodia.
Suspects were arrested during a raid on a fraud center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on July 14 - Photo: AFP
Meanwhile, the Seoul government is preparing to launch a joint investigation with Cambodian authorities into the recent case of a South Korean student who was tortured to death.
President Lee also expressed sympathy, noting that some citizens and diplomatic staff had personally used their own funds to help the victims in Cambodia.
He stressed:
“Finances must not become an obstacle. All resources must be mobilized to ensure a rapid, accurate, and decisive response.”
At the same time, the Ministry of Justice of South Korea is strengthening cooperation with ASEAN countries to dismantle transnational criminal networks, while the National Police Agency plans to form an international joint investigation team to handle cases of kidnapping and illegal detention.
Additionally, the South Korean government has launched a special reporting period throughout October, encouraging citizens to come forward and report similar incidents to those occurring in Cambodia.