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With an increase in murders, abductions, and detentions of Koreans in Cambodia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a “Special Travel Advisory” on the 16th of last month, advising against or delaying travel to the area. This action, which had previously been implemented for Russia during its conflict with Ukraine and Nepal, where more than 70 individuals lost their lives in anti-government demonstrations, has now been expanded to Cambodia because of the critical conditions there. The Ministry mentioned, “We will assess whether additional changes to travel warnings are necessary based on the circumstances.”

The Korean National Police Agency sent an extra police officer from its International Cooperation Bureau to Cambodia on the 24th of last month, raising the total number of Korean officers based there to three. At first, only one officer was assigned as a resident representative, but with a rise in crimes targeting Koreans, the agency deployed an additional cooperation officer in October of last year and added another officer to the team this time.

Nevertheless, numerous critics contend that the police reaction alone is not adequate to tackle crimes committed against Koreans in Cambodia. The Korean officers sent are responsible for collaborative duties, which is different from a specialized “Korean Desk” that exclusively deals with cases involving Koreans. These three officers do not have investigative power within the local area, restricting their capacity to address immediate criminal incidents.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs encountered criticism for its inactive reaction to a rescue appeal from a citizen who was taken by a Cambodian criminal group last year. In June of the previous year, a man in his 40s who had been kidnapped in Cambodia reached out to the South Korean Embassy in Cambodia through a concealed mobile phone for assistance. Nevertheless, embassy personnel advised him to “contact local police directly,” following which he leaped from the sixth floor of a building. Subsequently, he tried to find shelter at the embassy but was reportedly not allowed entry during the early hours. Once the incident became known publicly, the Ministry admitted, “The initial response was inadequate considering the urgency of the situation.”

Various political groups are urging the government to implement special actions. People Power Party Representative Na Kyung-won said on the 10th, “Authorities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korean National Police Agency, Ministry of Justice, prosecutors, and NIS should quickly establish a collaborative emergency task force.”