October 17, 2025 | 08:29 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cambodian police have detained three male Chinese nationals. They are accused of committing murder and online scam connected to the kidnapping, torture, and death of a South Korean student. As reported by Anadolu, the student was a victim of human trafficking.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has urged the government to utilize all available resources to respond to this issue swiftly, accurately, and decisively. In response to this incident, the South Korean government has sent a joint team to Cambodia.
Victim of Organized Crime
Asahi reported that earlier, 22-year-old student Park Min-ho informed his family that he would visit Cambodia in July 2025. Upon arrival, Park was kidnapped by a criminal gang who demanded a ransom of 50 million won or approximately Rp580 million, as reported by Korea Times.
According to Khmer Times, Park was found lifeless in a pickup truck in the North Kampong Bay Village, Kampong Bay Commune, Kampot Province at 02:00 p.m. local time on August 8. Following the discovery of Park's body, two Chinese nationals were arrested by Cambodian police.
The autopsy results concluded that a heart attack due to torture was the cause of Park's death. His body was filled with bruises and injuries all over.
After the discovery of Park's body, the police raided a villa in Bokor city, Kampot province, believed to be the scene of the crime, where signs of illegal online operations were found, and another Chinese national suspect was arrested.
Li Xingpeng (35), Zhu Renzhe (43), and Liu Haoxing (29) face charges of murder and online scam, although at present, the local police are still searching for two other suspects.
Response from the South Korean Government
In dealing with the issue of online scams leading to the death of a South Korean citizen, President Lee Jae Myung instructed his cabinet to mobilize "all available resources" to assist South Korean citizens who were kidnapped in Cambodia. They were kidnapped in connection with a scam promising job opportunities. Lee instructed all victims to be safely repatriated to South Korea.
"Related ministries should accelerate the establishment of a regular communication channel between the law enforcement authorities of the two countries through consultations with the Cambodian government," he said in the cabinet meeting.
Head of the National Investigation Office at NPA, Park Sung-joo, will coordinate with Cambodian authorities regarding the repatriation of detained South Korean citizens and discuss a joint investigation into the student's death. Those repatriated will also be investigated for possible involvement in this operation.
As of Tuesday, 63 South Korean nationals had been detained by the Cambodian authorities. The South Korean government is committed to repatriating all citizens, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.
Part of a Larger Operation
Asahi reported that the UN and other agencies estimate that most online scam operations are in Southeast Asia. This activity is worth billions of dollars annually.
The United States has seized US$14 billion in bitcoin and charged a Cambodian conglomerate in a large-scale cryptocurrency fraud. The conglomerate is accused of using forced labor exploitation to deceive potential investors and using the proceeds to buy cruise ships, jets, and Picasso paintings.
In the indictment opened on Tuesday, the federal prosecutor in Brooklyn charged Prince Holding Group chair Chen Zhi with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
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