Main suspect behind murder of South Korean college student in Phnom Penh arrested

Jakarta/Seoul, Nov 28 The main suspect behind the torture and killing of a South Korean college student allegedly involved in online scams in Cambodia in August has been arrested, Seoul's spy agency said Friday.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said the Chinese national, named Li Guanghao, along with three other Chinese nationals and five South Koreans were taken into custody in Phnom Penh on Thursday through cooperation with Cambodian police, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Li is accused of torturing and murdering the 22-year-old student, surnamed Park, near Bokor Mountain, where employment scams and detentions targeting South Koreans have frequently occurred.

The NIS said it had been tracking Li after identifying him as the caller who demanded money from Park's family.

Li was taken into custody after dining with a group of South Koreans who are under suspicion for money laundering, according to the NIS. He was, however, arrested on charges of another crime, not for Park's murder.

Cambodian authorities are currently investigating Li, with the case's legal proceedings likely to take place in the country.

The NIS said Li was also involved in a drug case targeting students in Seoul's Gangnam district in 2023. He had been under an Interpol Red Notice after trying to bring 4 kilograms of drugs into South Korea in January last year.

"We will continue to track the remaining suspects responsible for Park's death as a single team with the police," the NIS said in a release.

The Korean Embassy in Cambodia said it had been informed of the arrest from local officials, and it plans to review whether the suspect can be repatriated to South Korea.

Park left for the Southeast Asian country on July 17, telling his family that he was attending an exhibition there. He was found dead inside a car on Aug. 8, with signs of torture on his body, according to local police.

Three Chinese nationals allegedly involved in the crime were indicted with physical detention last month by a court in Cambodia on charges that included murder and fraud.

The case triggered a public outcry in South Korea, prompting the government to send a delegation to the country and establish a joint task force to address online scams and other crimes against its citizens.

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