Number of South Koreans Involved in Telecom Fraud in Cambodia May Far Exceed Government Estimates

South Korean media reported on the 20th, citing government data, that the number of South Koreans suspected of involvement in telecom network fraud in Cambodia may far exceed the government's previous estimate of over 1,000 people.

According to documents obtained from the Ministry of Justice on the 20th by the office of Park Chan-dae, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the gap between the number of South Koreans departing for Cambodia and those returning from Cambodia has widened significantly since 2021. In 2021, there were 113 more people going to Cambodia than returning. This difference surged to 3,209 in 2022, was 2,662 in 2023, and reached 3,248 in 2024. This likely means that for three consecutive years, two to three thousand South Koreans have stayed in Cambodia after arrival. As of August this year, nearly 900 people who traveled to Cambodia have not returned.

According to a Yonhap News Agency report on the 20th, statistics from Cambodia's General Department of Immigration show an even higher number of South Korean arrivals. Local insiders generally believe that the number of South Koreans in telecom fraud gangs across Cambodia far exceeds the South Korean government's estimates. Therefore, relevant sources suggest that to properly rescue South Korean citizens who are detained, kidnapped, or subjected to violence, the top priority is to fully grasp the actual scale of South Koreans involved in telecom fraud in Cambodia.

In August this year, a South Korean university student was lured to Cambodia for "work," subsequently detained, tortured, and ultimately killed, drawing public attention in South Korea. South Korea has dispatched a working group to Cambodia to handle related cases.

Cambodia launched a nationwide crackdown on telecom and online fraud in July. Cambodia's Counter Cyber Fraud Committee stated on the 15th of this month that the country has arrested 3,455 suspects in online fraud cases over the past four months. The arrested suspects come from 20 countries and regions, including South Korea. On the 18th, 64 South Korean suspects detained in Cambodia for alleged involvement in telecom fraud returned to South Korea and will undergo police investigation.