Seoul bans journey to Cambodia’s rip-off hotbeds amid surge in Cambodian abductions

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has imposed its highest-level journey warning on elements of Cambodia beginning Thursday, banning journey to areas the place job rip-off–associated confinement and abuse instances have sharply elevated.

The Level 4 advisory, which prohibits all journey, takes impact at midnight Wednesday and applies to Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province and the cities of Bavet and Poipet, which had been beforehand beneath a particular journey advisory.

Bokor Mountain is the place a South Korean college scholar — believed to be a sufferer of a job-scam operation — was discovered useless in August.

The Foreign Ministry’s drastic measures have come because the Lee Jae Myung administration has doubled down on efforts to take each potential step to handle a surge in job scams and related crimes focusing on South Koreans in Cambodia, together with kidnapping and confinement.

According to the ministry, Sihanoukville Province has been raised to Level 3, advising South Koreans to go away the realm. Existing particular journey advisories for different areas stay in impact, whereas areas beforehand beneath Level 1, advising warning, have been upgraded to Level 2, advising vacationers to rethink visiting.

The journey advisory degree for Cambodia has been raised for the second time in lower than per week, following an analogous adjustment on Oct. 10.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac on Wednesday additionally mentioned that Seoul would attempt to repatriate about 60 South Koreans detained in Cambodia by the weekend, vowing to take all potential measures to handle the matter.

Wi defined that the Lee Jae Myung administration is “prioritizing the swift repatriation of Korean nationals arrested by Cambodian authorities during crackdown operations in July and September.”

Speaking at a press briefing, Wi additionally admitted that “the key issue is how much progress we can make in reaching an agreement” with Cambodian authorities.

Wi additional underscored that “another key priority is to swiftly bring back those whose whereabouts remain unknown and who may be in confinement, through an active and coordinated system with Cambodian authorities.”

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service has estimated that more than 1,000 South Koreans are believed to be staying in scam compounds in Cambodia, though their involvement in criminal activities has not been confirmed.

However, Wi concurrently urged restraint, asking “for the cooperation of the media and the public to remain alert to such crimes but to avoid harboring excessive hostility toward Cambodia and its people.”

Wi noted that many Korean residents and businesses in Cambodia — particularly those in the tourism sector — are deeply concerned about potential economic losses and reputational damage.

A high-level interagency response workforce departed Wednesday for Cambodia to handle a surge in fraudulent job gives and associated crimes focusing on South Koreans, and to expedite the repatriation of Korean detainees and the physique of the college scholar who died there.

The delegation, led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina, contains senior officers from the National Police Agency, Justice Ministry and National Intelligence Service. Among them is Park Sung-joo, head of the National Office of Investigation, reflecting the gravity of the federal government’s response.

Speaking at Incheon Airport earlier than departure, Kim mentioned the delegation will go to the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and a particular committee for countering on-line scams throughout their journey to Cambodia.

“We also plan to discuss ways to resolve the current situation in a more concrete and proactive manner through meetings with high-level (Cambodian) officials,” Kim mentioned.

President Lee Jae Myung ordered the emergency mission Tuesday amid rising public concern over a speedy rise within the variety of South Koreans being lured by pretend job commercials and falling sufferer to related crimes.

Separately, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Wednesday launched a job pressure led by former Ambassador to Lebanon Park Il to supervise associated embassy operations and cooperation with Cambodian authorities on the bottom till a brand new ambassador is appointed. The ambassador put up has been vacant since former Ambassador Park Jung-wook left his place in mid-July.

According to information from South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, about 80 instances stay open amongst experiences of Koreans who entered Cambodia and had been later reported lacking or forcibly confined. The ministry acquired 330 such experiences between January and August 2025 and 220 instances in 2024, most of which — about 260 this yr and 210 final yr — have since been resolved.

Separate police information reveals a complete of 143 instances involving suspected abductions, confinement or disappearances of South Koreans in Cambodia reported between 2024 and Oct. 13, 2025. Of these, authorities have verified the security and whereabouts of 91 people, whereas 52 instances stay beneath investigation.

dagyumji@heraldcorp.com