Dozens of South Korean nationals detained in Cambodia for alleged involvement in online scam operations have returned home and were immediately placed under arrest by authorities, South Korean officials confirmed.

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Arrests Upon Arrival

• 64 South Koreans arrived at Incheon International Airport on a chartered flight from Cambodia.
• Police officers took all individuals into custody as criminal suspects immediately upon landing.
• A South Korean police official stated that arrests occurred onboard the repatriation flight.

The detainees are suspected of involvement in Cambodia’s industrial-scale online scam operations, often targeting victims in Western countries through schemes such as “pig-butchering”, a form of long-term fraudulent investment scam.

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Background: Cambodia’s Scam Industry

• Cambodia has seen a boom in online scams since the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Many Chinese-owned casinos and hotels shifted operations to scam centres, employing tens of thousands of workers in massive complexes.
• Approximately 200,000 people are estimated to be involved in scam operations in Cambodia, with about 1,000 South Koreans among them.
• Victims are often targeted with romance scams or cryptocurrency schemes, leading to billions of dollars in global losses annually.

South Korea has banned travel to parts of Cambodia to curb its citizens from being drawn into these operations.

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Repatriation and Cooperation

Cambodian authorities described the repatriation as a product of “good cooperation in suppression of scams” between the two countries.

• The repatriation comes amid a joint investigation by South Korean authorities into the death of a college student reportedly kidnapped and tortured by a scam ring in Kampot province.
• The student, found in a pick-up truck in August, died due to severe torture, according to an autopsy.

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International Action Against Scam Networks

• On Tuesday, the US and UK imposed sanctions on the Cambodia-based Prince Group, which operates multiple scam centres across Southeast Asia.
• UK authorities seized 19 London properties linked to the network, valued at over £100 million ($134 million).
• Prince Group’s chair, Chinese-Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi, who has ties to Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and former Prime Minister Hun Sen, remains at large and faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

The Prince Group was reported to generate $30 million a day at the height of its operations, according to prosecutors.

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South Korea’s Response

• South Korean authorities have banned citizens from visiting certain Cambodian regions.
• Police are conducting investigations into South Koreans involved in scams and any associated human trafficking or abuse.
• The government continues to warn against participation in overseas scam operations, highlighting the growing risks for nationals in Southeast Asia.