Lee said that the recent kidnappings in Cambodia are causing "significant harm to South Koreans". —AP
SEOUL: Eighty South Koreans who were possible victims of fake jobs or scam centres were unaccounted for in Cambodia, South Korea's foreign ministry told AFP Tuesday (Oct 14).
A foreign ministry official said that between January and August this year, 330 South Koreans were reported to have gone missing or been held against their will after entering Cambodia.
As of August, "The safety of about 80 people has yet to be verified," a foreign ministry official said.
The ministry added that they are cross-checking the figures with police data at home to avoid overlap.
While there were around 21 cases of kidnapping or confinement involving South Koreans in Cambodia in 2023, the figure jumped tenfold to 221 last year and further surged to fifteenfold as of August, lawmaker Yoon Hu-duk said in a parliamentary hearing.
The recent death of a Korean college student in Cambodia - reportedly kidnapped and tortured by a local crime ring - has shocked South Korea.
Many of the South Koreans are said to have been lured by fraudulent job offers promising high pay, according to the government.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday that the recent kidnappings in Cambodia are causing "significant harm to South Koreans".
"The numbers are not small, and many of our citizens are deeply concerned about their family members, friends, and neighbours who have been detained in Cambodia," said Lee in a Cabinet meeting.
"The government should immediately implement all available measures to ensure the safety of our citizens," he added.
The Presidential office said that they will dispatch a joint response team to Cambodia on Wednesday (Oct 15), led by the second vice-foreign minister.
Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon also said the government is considering raising the travel advisory level for Cambodia. — AFP
