South Korea summons Cambodian Ambassador over job scam concerns, upgrades travel advisory for Phnom Penh

Seoul, Oct 10 South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Friday summoned the Cambodian ambassador in Seoul to protest the death of a South Korean student in Cambodia linked to an employment scam and urged stronger measures to tackle the rising number of online scams and detentions targeting South Koreans.

The Korean college student in his 20s was reportedly tortured to death in August by a local criminal organization in the Southeast Asian country. Cambodia's police listed cardiac arrest resulting from torture and extreme pain as the cause of death on his death certificate, Yonhap News Agency reported.

According to the ministry, Cho called in Ambassador Khuon Phon Rattanak earlier in the day and expressed strong concerns over the continued incidents targeting Korean nationals in Cambodia.

Cho called for the swift implementation of measures to eradicate online scams, as well as active steps to ensure the safety of Korean nationals there.

The minister, in particular, requested that Phnom Penh government actively cooperate with Korean authorities in establishing a "Korean Desk" and enhancing bilateral police cooperation to prevent harm to Korean nationals and ensure swift responses when necessary.

It is unusual for the foreign minister to summon a foreign diplomat, as such meetings are typically handled at the director-general level, which underscores the government's serious concern over the incident.

In response, the ambassador said that he understands the concerns and position of the Seoul government, and that he would report them accurately to his home government, the ministry said.

In an effort to ensure the safety of Koreans, the ministry had upgraded its travel advisory for Phnom Penh, previously the Level 2 "Exercise Caution" alert to a special travel advisory as of 9 pm.

The special travel advisory, equivalent to Level 2.5 on South Korea's four-tier system, urges nationals to avoid traveling to Phnom Penh or leave the area if already there. It is effective for 90 days and may be extended if needed.

South Korea has been consulting with Cambodian authorities over who will conduct the autopsy and plans to carry out the procedure later this month, officials said. His body has not been returned home for two months.

The victim was found dead in Cambodia on August 8 after he left for the country in mid-July, telling his family he was going to attend an exhibition there.

A week after his departure, a blackmailer called his family and demanded 50 million won (USD 35,200), saying the student caused trouble and needs to resolve it. Communication with the blackmailer was cut off after four days, and he was found dead two weeks later.

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