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A view of Cambodia, where South Korean authorities are pushing for a joint police operation following a string of kidnapping and confinement incidents involving Korean nationals. / Source: Yonhap News

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said it will launch an international joint operation to tackle a surge in kidnapping and confinement crimes in Cambodia — a move critics call “too late,” following the death of a South Korean student earlier this year.

According to the agency, the issue will be a major topic at the International Chiefs of Police Conference to be held from October 20 to 23. The meeting will include representatives from Interpol, Europol, Aseanapol and other regional policing bodies to discuss cross-border coordination and intelligence-sharing on organized crime networks operating in Southeast Asia.

During bilateral talks with Cambodian authorities on October 23, the KNPA plans to propose the establishment of a “Korean Desk” in Cambodia — a dedicated liaison office for investigative cooperation — as well as the dispatch of Korean police personnel to assist in joint operations. Officials said they are exploring ways for Korean police to take a more active on-the-ground role in local investigations.

However, critics argue the response comes far too late. The plan was announced only after the death of a university student surnamed Park from Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, who was found dead near Kampot, Cambodia, in July — more than two months before his body was repatriated.

Lawmakers and experts note that such abductions have been rising sharply since last year. According to data obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Park Chan-dae from the Foreign Ministry, reports of job-scam-related confinement cases in Southeast Asia increased from 4 in 2021 to 220 in 2024, and already 330 cases had been reported as of August 2025.

Some experts question whether the police had even conducted proper threat assessments in Cambodia.
“This problem had been flagged long ago, yet the response has been slow and reactive,” said Lee Woong-hyuk, a criminology professor at Konkuk University. “Authorities should have conducted thorough crime analyses and alerted the public earlier, rather than scrambling for measures after tragedies occurred.”