South Koreans Freed from Cambodian Scam Compounds Return Home Under Arrest

Dozens of South Korean citizens who had been detained in Cambodia for alleged roles in online scam operations were repatriated on Saturday — only to be arrested upon arrival in their home country.

A chartered flight carrying 64 nationals landed at Incheon International Airport, where South Korean police officers took all the returning individuals into custody as criminal suspects.
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The South Korean government had dispatched an investigative team to Cambodia earlier in the week, following reports that its citizens had been coerced — or voluntarily participated — in illicit cyber-scam operations. Officials made clear that both voluntary and involuntary participants would be held accountable.
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According to a spokesman for Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior, the repatriation marked “the result of good cooperation in suppression of scams” between the two countries.
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The Rise of Cambodia’s Scam Industry

Since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many sectors — including casinos and hospitality — Cambodia has seen a surge in large-scale scam operations. Sophisticated “industrial-scale” scam centres have emerged, allegedly linked to elite and politically connected stakeholders.
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One particularly prominent scam type is known as pig-butchering: fraudsters build trust with victims over time (the “fattening”) before orchestrating a large financial loss (the “slaughter”). Frequently, these scams involve fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes.
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It’s estimated that some 200,000 people work across Cambodia’s scam operations, and several thousand of them may be foreign nationals, including around 1,000 South Koreans.
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One crime syndicate at the heart of global scrutiny is the Prince Group, accused of operating a chain of scam centres across Southeast Asia. In a coordinated effort, the United States and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions earlier this week, seizing properties in London linked to the network. British prosecutors allege that at its peak, Prince Group’s daily revenues from scams reached $30 million.
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The alleged mastermind behind the group, Chinese-Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi, has also served as an adviser to Cambodia’s ruling family. He faces charges including wire fraud and money laundering, with potential sentences of up to 40 years if convicted.
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A Dark Side: Kidnapping, Torture, and Death

Reports in recent months have exposed the more violent elements of Cambodia’s scam regime. This includes cases of kidnapping, forced confinement, and torture of those who resist or attempt to escape. In one grim episode, a South Korean college student was found dead in southern Cambodia in August, his body bearing multiple bruises. Autopsy results indicated his death was caused by severe torture.
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In response, South Korea recently imposed travel bans to certain parts of Cambodia, warning its citizens about being lured into scam operations.
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What Comes Next?

South Korea and Cambodia have pledged to launch a joint investigation into these fraud networks, aiming to dismantle the transnational criminal structures behind them.
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