More than 60 South Koreans were flown back from Cambodia after being linked to large-scale online scam centres. They arrived at Incheon Airport under police escort and are now expected to be questioned.
Officials say many South Koreans were tricked by fake job ads in Cambodia and later forced to run scam operations that target people around the world. But authorities also believe that some may have joined these schemes willingly.
The repatriations follow public anger in South Korea after a student was killed in Cambodia in a case tied to online fraud compounds. The government has called the crisis “code black” and is now cracking down on ads and agents that recruit people abroad.
Cambodia has agreed to help send more people back. South Korea estimates that up to 1,000 of its citizens may be inside scam hubs across Southeast Asia. Some may face criminal charges depending on their role.
The government says it will boost both public awareness and overseas rescue operations to stop more people from falling into such traps.
