Cambodia to repatriate 73 Koreans in scam probe

South Korea has announced the forcible repatriation of 73 nationals detained in Cambodia over alleged involvement in vast scam operations, marking the country’s largest criminal return to date.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung confirmed during a briefing at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday that a chartered flight will depart Incheon International Airport late in the evening and return Friday morning with the suspects on board. All face arrest warrants and will be handed directly to investigators upon arrival.

The group is accused of defrauding 869 Korean victims of nearly 487 billion won (£331 million) through romance and investment scams, as well as extortion schemes targeting families of those trapped in Cambodian scam centres. Kang said some suspects used deepfake technology to deceive victims and even underwent plastic surgery to evade capture.

Their detention followed raids in December on seven compounds across Sihanoukville, Poipet and Mondulkiri Province, carried out by a joint team of Korean and Cambodian police alongside the National Intelligence Service. The operation dismantled organised syndicates accused of running sophisticated fraud networks.

While Seoul moves to bring its citizens home, the crisis in Cambodia extends beyond Korean nationals. Hundreds of Kenyans remain stranded after fleeing labour exploitation camps, many without valid documents or support. Victims report being trafficked under false promises of jobs, subjected to forced labour, and left vulnerable to re-trafficking or arrest. Uganda has already repatriated dozens of its citizens, but Kenyans say assistance has been slow, leaving many in hiding across Phnom Penh and other regions.

Together, the two cases highlight Cambodia’s deepening struggle with transnational crime and human trafficking, exposing both the scale of the scam industry and the urgent need for stronger international cooperation.

-2026-01-26