On October 16, an interdisciplinary response team of the government was sent to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) to coordinate with local authorities to take emergency measures to deal with the issue.
The second Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Ms. Kim Ji Na - led a special working delegation including representatives of the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Justice and the National Intelligence Agency of the South Korean to Phnom Penh to closely coordinate with the Cambodian government.
Ms. Kim Ji Na met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet at the government headquarters to discuss the incident.
The main goal of the visit is to deal with criminal networks that lure Koreans abroad through fake jobs, increasingly related to kidnapping, detention and violence, even causing death.
South Korea's drastic and rapid move comes from the death of a Korean university student tortured to death in Cambodia. The special forces are working with senior Cambodian officials to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrator to trial.
In addition to investigating transnational crimes, the working group also coordinated the repatriation of 61 South Korean citizens currently detained by Cambodian immigration authorities, including victims and those suspected of being involved in fraud rings.
Previously, the number was 63, but 2 were brought to Korea earlier in the week. Authorities of the two countries are coordinating to complete the repatriation this week.
Both sides are also discussing the possibility of arranging special flights to bring South Korean citizens home safely, while the Cambodian side is preparing necessary paperwork and means of transportation in coordination with Seoul officials.
