South Korea pushes for ASEAN crackdown on Cambodian scam networks

Seoul is calling for coordinated action and stronger law enforcement across Southeast Asia.

South Korea.- Seoul is urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take collective action against organised crime operations based in Cambodia following the death of South Korean student Park Min-ho. At the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, South Korea will propose a multilateral framework for joint investigations with regional policing authorities.

“The ASEAN Summit will be an opportunity to establish a cooperative system, including joint investigations with ASEAN policing authorities,” said Wi Sung-lac, director of South Korea’s National Security Office. He added that the initiative could extend to the United Nations and the OECD to strengthen cross-border enforcement.

The call comes amid a rise in reports of job scams targeting South Koreans and other nationals. Some 330 South Koreans were reported missing or forcibly confined in Cambodia between January and August 2025, up from 220 in 2024. Intelligence assessments suggest the real number of victims could exceed 1,000. Authorities estimate that scam compounds collectively employ around 200,000 people in Cambodia.

The criminal networks, often run by Chinese syndicates, lure victims with fake job offers, then coerce them into operating fraudulent investment or gaming websites. Many are subjected to confinement and beatings if they attempt to escape or refuse to cooperate. Amnesty International has described the compounds as “industrial-scale human trafficking operations.”

Cambodia’s government has carried out raids and arrests. Three Chinese nationals were charged in connection with Park Min-ho’s death, while more than 15,000 foreigners involved in online crime have been deported over the past two years. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has pledged to strengthen cooperation with Seoul but insists the country can manage without external intervention.

“Cambodia and the Republic of Korea will continue to strengthen our collaboration to prevent, suppress, and combat online scams more effectively,” Hun Manet said.

South Korea has imposed travel bans on areas including Bokor Mountain, Bavet, and Poipet, and dispatched an interagency task force to Phnom Penh to negotiate the repatriation of 60 Koreans detained in scam-related cases.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has identified the Mekong region, spanning Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, as “arguably the most significant global hub for scams and illegal online gaming.” According to UN estimates, cyber scams originating from Southeast Asia generate billions of dollars annually for transnational criminal groups.

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Seoul is calling for coordinated action and stronger law enforcement across Southeast Asia. South Korea.- Seoul is urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take collective action against…