How suspected job scam led to S. Korean student's death in Cambodia

The authorities believe he was lured by fraudulent job offer, held captive and ultimately killed

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Following the death of a South Korean university student in Cambodia in August, fears are escalating in South Korean society regarding overseas employment scams, with the government set to step up efforts to combat a surge in violent crimes targeting South Korean nationals.

On Aug 8, a South Korean university student in his 20s - identified by the surname Park - was found dead in Kampot, Cambodia, around three weeks after he told his family in South Korea that he would be attending a local job expo there. The authorities believe he was lured by a fraudulent job offer, held captive and ultimately killed.

On Oct 13, the authorities said they were investigating another report of a South Korean man in his 30s who was reported missing after losing touch with his family on Aug 22, three days after leaving for the Southeast Asian country.

According to police officials, the man briefly contacted his family via a Telegram video call on Aug 24, saying he could be released if they wired him 20 million won (S$18,200).

The two incidents are among a growing number of abductions of South Korean nationals in Cambodia, which have recently become alarmingly common.

According to the Foreign Ministry, reports of South Koreans being held against their will in Cambodia had already reached 330 cases for 2025 as at August, a significant jump from 17 cases in 2022, which had jumped to 220 in 2023.