Overview
- Cheong Wa Dae said a Korean police and National Intelligence Service task force, working with Cambodian police, took 26 suspects into custody in Jan. 5 raids on offices and residences in Phnom Penh.
- Officials allege the ring posed as prosecutors and financial authorities to convince targets they were under criminal investigation.
- The operation allegedly extorted 26.7 billion won (about US$18.2 million) from 165 South Korean nationals.
- Numerous female victims were coerced to record sexually exploitative videos or send explicit photos used to pressure them.
- Authorities plan to repatriate the suspects for prosecution and will verify nationalities during that process, with efforts intensifying after an August 2025 student death connected to scam centers.