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9h ago

South Korea Summons Cambodian Envoy, Tightens Phnom Penh Travel Warning After Student's Death

Officials press for an October autopsy alongside dedicated police cooperation through a proposed Korean Desk.

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This image, provided by the foreign ministry in Seoul on Oct. 10, 2025, shows a map of Cambodia (R) reflecting the special travel advisory adjustment for Phnom Penh. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This file photo, provided by the foreign ministry on Sept. 25, 2025, shows Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (3rd from R) speaking to his Cambodian counterpart, Prak Sokhonn, in New York. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Oct. 10 called in Ambassador Khuon Phon Rattanak to protest a Korean student's August torture death and to demand concrete action on job-scam crimes.
  • Seoul raised its Phnom Penh guidance to a special Level 2.5 advisory for 90 days, urging Koreans to avoid travel or leave the capital.
  • The ministry said the student's remains remain in Cambodia without an autopsy due to cooperation issues, while planning the procedure later this month and pledging swift repatriation.
  • Reported kidnappings of South Koreans in Cambodia jumped from 10–20 annually to 220 in 2024 and 330 by August 2025, with many lured by fraudulent high‑pay offers.
  • Amnesty International reports abuses at scam centers on a mass scale, citing at least 53 compounds and alleging Cambodian government acquiescence and complicity.