73 Koreans linked to scam networks in Cambodia to be repatriated: Seoul

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks at a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Dozens of South Koreans suspected of involvement in scam operations in Cambodia will be repatriated to Korea, officials said Thursday, in the largest overseas transfer of Korean scam suspects.

According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, a pangovernmental task force formed to combat transnational crime has coordinated the return of 73 Korean suspects accused of defrauding 869 victims of approximately 48.6 billion won ($33 million).

The task force was established in October following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

An aircraft had been scheduled to depart Incheon Airport at 8:45 p.m. Thursday to transport the suspects from Cambodia, returning to South Korea at 9:10 a.m. Friday, Kang said.

All the suspects are subject to arrest warrants and will be transferred to investigative authorities immediately upon arrival for questioning. The repatriation effort is the largest operation of its kind to date.

Of the 73 suspects, 70 face charges related to online scam operations, including romance scams and fraudulent investment schemes operated through private messaging groups, while the remaining three are accused of crimes that include hostage-taking, robbery and illegal gambling.

Authorities said the group includes suspects who used deepfake technology to impersonate fictitious individuals, allegedly defrauding 104 victims of around 12 billion won, as well as others who posed as investment professionals to target young adults and retirees, leading to losses totaling approximately 19.4 billion won.

Also among those being repatriated are fugitives who fled overseas after committing sex crimes against minors and later joined the scam operations, as well as gang members accused of detaining victims at scam compounds in Cambodia and extorting money from their families in South Korea.

Some of the suspects are believed to have altered their appearances through plastic surgery and employed other evasion tactics to avoid arrest, Kang added.

“The government determined that leaving serious offenders overseas would effectively signal tolerance for fugitive crime and heighten the risk of repeat offenses,” Kang said.

Kang added that the government plans to intensify efforts to track hidden assets and recover criminal proceeds.

“Through the task force, the government will continue to respond firmly until overseas-based scam operations targeting the Korean people are completely eradicated,” Kang said.