Cambodia arrests dozens of South Koreans accused of scams

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South Korean lawmaker Kim Seok-Ki, front, looks on as his delegation reviews documents with a Cambodian police officer, near a building complex allegedly used for scam work outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Oct. 22, 2025. Associated Press / Commission for Combating Online Crime

Cambodia arrests dozens of South Koreans accused of scams

Government officers detained 86 foreign citizens, including 57 South Koreans, in a Wednesday search of a suspected scam operation on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The detainees also included 29 Chinese citizens, according to the Khmer Times. Authorities seized 30 cellphones and 126 computers to comb for evidence, according to the outlet.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Police briefed a visiting South Korean delegation led by opposition politician Kim Seok-ki on the situation, according to the Khmer Times. The delegation agreed that the arrested South Koreans voluntarily carried out cybercrimes, the outlet reported.

Since its establishment in June, Cambodia’s Commission for Combating Online Scams has arrested 3,455 foreigners accused of working for 92 online scam centers, according to news agency Cambodianess. The U.S. Treasury in September sanctioned 10 Cambodian people and entities for running cryptocurrency scams from casinos.

Dig deeper: Read my report on U.S. sanctions against a Myanmar militia for human trafficking and scams.