Hanoi (VNA) - About 80 Koreans linked to job scams in Cambodia are missing or their safety cannot be confirmed, an official from the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on October 14, as authorities are struggling to tackle crimes targeting Koreans amid public outrage over the torture death of a Korean student.
Seventy of them were reported missing between January and August this year, while the 10 others have remained unaccounted for since last year, a ministry official told reporters, citing data filed by the Korean Embassy in Cambodia, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
The embassy received reports of 330 people missing from their families and friends in the first eight months of this year, up sharply from 220 cases in 2024.
Also on October 14, Korean President Lee Jae Myung instructed officials at a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day to mobilise "all available resources" to help Korean nationals held in Cambodia return home safely.
The Korean Government announced plans to dispatch a joint response team, led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina, to Cambodia to work with local authorities about the matter. The team, joined by officers of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) and the National Intelligence Service, will depart on October 15.
The RoK's Presidential Office said the Government is considering raising the travel alert for Cambodia. Last week, the foreign ministry raised the alert for Phnom Penh, advising against travel and urging nationals in the area to leave./.
Thailand cracks down on illegal job scams
As many as 46 suspects were prosecuted this fiscal year for allegedly deceiving 112 people into working illegally overseas, the Thai Ministry of Labour said on February 13.
