Seoul: A trial commenced in Seoul last week involving 46 South Koreans, predominantly young men, accused of engaging in online scam operations based in Cambodia.
According to Deutsche Welle, the trial is part of a broader effort by South Korean authorities to tackle the issue of their nationals being involved in scam networks. Since mid-October, South Korea has repatriated 107 citizens from Cambodia, where it is estimated that over 1,000 South Koreans are either willingly or unwillingly working in scam operations.
This repatriation initiative has been driven by public outrage following the death of a South Korean college student who was allegedly lured to Cambodia and coerced into working at a scam center. The 22-year-old’s body was discovered with injuries consistent with torture, raising suspicions of a violent death. A Cambodian court statement revealed that an autopsy determined his death resulted from severe torture, with numerous bruises and injuries present.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. He highlighted the importance of protecting victims and swiftly bringing those involved back to Korea. In a concerted effort to combat these fraudulent activities, South Korea has joined forces with the US, UK, and Singapore in imposing sanctions on Cambodia’s Prince Holding Group. The group’s founder faces accusations of orchestrating large-scale fraud operations across Southeast Asia, allegations that the company denies.
The problem of scam operations is not confined to South Korea, with Southeast Asia emerging as a significant hub for digital scams. The United Nations estimated in 2023 that over 200,000 individuals have been trafficked into countries such as Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia under false promises of lucrative jobs. These individuals often end up in vast scam centers, forming part of a multibillion-dollar cyber fraud industry. These operations are primarily situated in remote conflict zones, particularly along the borders of Thailand with Cambodia and Myanmar.
The workers in these scam centers are typically citizens from Asian countries, many of whom are victims of human trafficking. The scams primarily target individuals in Western, English-speaking countries. Brian Hanley, Asia-Pacific director for the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), noted the dual nature of the issue as both a major human rights and national security concern. GASA’s “State of the Scams 2025” report estimates that scams worldwide resulted in losses of $442 billion in the 12 months ending October 2025, with a significant portion going unreported.
The US has been identified as a primary target for these scams. The FBI estimates that Southeast Asian scam networks defraud Americans of $9 billion to $10 billion annually. In response, the US has established the Scam Center Strike Force, an interagency task force dedicated to dismantling scam centers and prosecuting those involved. The US has also partnered with the UK to impose sanctions on individuals and entities operating illegal scam centers in Southeast Asia.
Australia and Singapore have enacted similar measures, collaborating with the US on law enforcement operations and sanctions. Jacob Sims, a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center, emphasized the growing political attention the issue of scams has received in the US. Despite these actions, efforts have been hindered by cuts to USAID programs in Southeast Asia, which previously monitored human trafficking.
Chinese criminal networks are believed to run many of the scam centers in Southeast Asia. While a report to the US Congress found minimal links to the Chinese government or Communist Party, it highlighted the role of these networks in perpetuating regional conflicts through corruption and crime. Sims noted the reluctance of countries like South Korea and the US to criticize the Chinese or Cambodian governments directly, focusing instead on targeting the criminal networks themselves. This cautious approach reflects the geopolitical considerations in the region, with Western countries wary of confronting Cambodia due to its strategic significance in the broader China-versus-the-West dynamic.