A 22-year-old South Korean university student was allegedly tortured to death after being lured to Cambodia by a scam ring promising high-paying work, reports The Guardian. Park Min-ho left home in mid-July, telling his family he was attending an exhibition. A week later, his family received a ransom demand for 50 million won (£26,000). Contact ceased, and two weeks later, his body was found near Bokor Mountain in Kampot province, an area known for crime compounds and human trafficking.
According to Cambodia's interior ministry, Park died from "severe torture" and showed bruising across his body. A witness confined with Park told Democratic party lawmaker Park Chan-dae's office that the student "had been so severely beaten he could not walk or breathe," as reported in The Guardian. He reportedly died in a vehicle while being taken to the hospital. Three Chinese nationals face murder and fraud charges; two suspects remain at large.
The case has exposed soaring kidnappings of South Koreans in Cambodia—from 17 cases in 2023 to 220 in 2024, with 330 recorded by August 2025. Victims are confined in compounds and forced into online fraud operations. Those who resist face beatings with pipes and electric shocks, according to rescued victims. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for "all-out" diplomatic efforts, saying "protecting the lives and safety of citizens is the government's greatest responsibility."
Previously:
• Cambodia legalizes police corruption
• Relatives and cronies of Cambodia's dictator have bought 'golden passports' from Cyprus and exfiltrated millions
• Video: 'My first acid trip was with strangers in Cambodia'
