The Korean newspaper Korea Herald reported that Cambodian police have just discovered the body of a Korean man in a state of being tightly wrapped in a blanket and plastic bag, his face was swollen in purple.
The case continues to shake international public opinion, exposing the level of cruelty in the online scams spreading in Cambodia.
According to information from Cambodian police, the body was found on August 14 in Kampot province, inside a large trash can, along with another unidentified victim.
The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that one of the victims was a citizen of the Park family, and affirmed that it was closely coordinating with the Cambodian side to investigate and support the victim's family. However, officials admitted that clarifying the details encountered many difficulties due to the complicated nature of the case.
The location of the victim's body is one of dozens of large-scale facilities in Cambodia that are believed to be operated by an online fraud ring.
These complexes are often heavily guarded and closed as prohibited areas that law enforcement forces have difficulty accessing, notorious for phone fraud, investment fraud and many other forms of cybercrime.
described from the scene shows that the victim suffered many bruises, hemorrhage, and a swollen face from being tortured. This coincides with the creepy accounts of those who had escaped. A 28-year-old Korean youth who once escaped revealed to the press: Members of scams can kill people just for money. We were beaten, electrocuted, and even tortured by being submerged in water.
According to the International Justice Organization, there are currently more than 50 online scams operating in Cambodia. Observers have described these as autonomous crime zones, where the law has little effect.
An alarming reality is that the number of South Korean citizens falling into scams in Cambodia has skyrocketed in the past two years. Data from the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that the number of kidnapped or detained victims increased from 21 cases in 2023 to 221 in 2024. In the first 6 months of 2025 alone, 212 cases were recorded, signaling that the year-end figure could double last year.
Most of the victims were lured by offers for light work with high salaries abroad, but when they arrived in Cambodia, they were forced to work in fraudulent centers, enduring poor living conditions and constant violence.
Despite the escalating crisis, South Korea still faces many limitations in protecting citizens. Currently, there is only one Korean police officer on duty at the Embassy in Phnom Penh. Those who are lucky enough to contact diplomatic agencies are often only advised to report to the Cambodian police, because the Embassy does not have the authority to directly investigate or rescue.
In another development, Bangkok Post reported that on the evening of August 15, the Thai Navy announced that it had arrested 6 Chinese citizens and a Thai man in Pong Nam Ron district, eastern Thailand, suspected of being involved in a fraud ring after the group illegally crossed the border from Cambodia.
