South Korea Arrests 64 Nationals Repatriated from Cambodia for Running Massive Online Scam Operation

South Korea arrested 64 nationals repatriated from Cambodia on a chartered Korean Air flight in what authorities describe as the country’s largest single-country criminal repatriation and the third such operation.

“Over 60 South Korean nationals accused of being involved in cyberscam schemes in Cambodia have been repatriated to their country”

dw

The group was detained amid Cambodia’s crackdowns on online scam centers.

dw

They were handcuffed and taken into custody for nationwide investigations upon arrival at Incheon.

Officials are probing whether the individuals joined the schemes voluntarily or were coerced by false job advertisements.

The operation followed public outrage over the torture and death of a South Korean student allegedly forced to work in a Cambodian scam center.

It was coordinated through intensified cooperation between Seoul and Phnom Penh.

Authorities say the suspects are linked to schemes including voice phishing, romance scams, and “no-show” fraud targeting South Koreans.

Officials used South Korean law that permits enforcement on national carrier aircraft to arrest suspects on a chartered flight.

Some suspects were detained even before boarding the flight.

Hindustan Times

Many appeared handcuffed upon arrival and will undergo drug testing due to suspicions of drug use.

The group is alleged to be involved in running or staffing scam centers that use fake job offers.

Their activities also include kidnapping, voice phishing, romance scams, "no-show" fraud, and cryptocurrency schemes known as "pig-butchering."

The transfer of suspects was conducted using a charter flight with extensive escorts following raids on notorious compounds in Cambodia.

After arrival, suspects were distributed to police agencies nationwide for questioning.

The Cambodian scam industry is described as a vast, abusive enterprise involving around 200,000 workers, including about 1,000 South Koreans.

“Seoul (AFP) –Sixty-four South Koreans who had been detained in Cambodia for alleged involvement in cyberscam operations returned home Saturday and were under arrest, a police official told AFP”

France 24

Amnesty International has documented human trafficking, forced labor, torture, and other severe abuses across dozens of compounds.

Cambodian authorities say they have arrested over 3,400 suspects since June and prosecuted ringleaders for crimes including murder and trafficking.

More than 2,800 foreigners have been deported as part of an ongoing crackdown.

South Korean and Cambodian authorities have been dismantling networks linked to pig-butchering crypto fraud and related cross-border crimes.

International cooperation in these efforts is intensifying.

Authorities in Seoul and Phnom Penh report that many suspects were trapped by deceptive job offers and coercion.

Others allegedly participated willingly, which complicates how police treat them as both victims and perpetrators.

Digital Journal

Officials are investigating the extent of coercion versus voluntary involvement.

There are reports of kidnapping, threats of violence, and forced labor inside compounds.

Sources describe a regional spread of similar scam hubs across Southeast Asia.

Some detainees sought rescue from embassies amid claims of abuse.

Seoul’s response includes dispatching a high-level delegation to Phnom Penh.

It also involves creating a joint task force with Cambodia to share evidence and coordinate arrests.

Yonhap News Agency

Additionally, Seoul has imposed travel bans on parts of Cambodia and expanded joint investigations.

These investigations cover the torture-and-death case of a South Korean student and the death of a Korean woman near the Vietnam-Cambodia border.

Cambodian officials report thousands of arrests and deportations as they prosecute ringleaders.

They are also seeking dialogue with Seoul over travel restrictions.

The intensified bilateral effort underscores a commitment to dismantle scam networks and protect Korean nationals from trafficking, kidnapping, and torture.