Cambodian and South Korean authorities have discussed closer cooperation between their respective law enforcement agencies to suppress online fraud involving Korean nationals, while more than 60 Korean citizens will soon be repatriated.
Chhay Sinarith, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister in charge of special missions and chair of the Secretariat of the Committee for Combating Technology Crimes (CCTC), met with Kim Jina, South Korean Second Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, on October 16.
Sinarith informed Jina of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s commitment to preventing, combatting and clearing out any and all locations involved in technology-related scams.
“Technology-related fraud is a global and complex problem that requires all nations to build trust and cooperate in the fight, as well as to educate citizens about the risks, forms of fraud and tactics used by criminals to lure people into their schemes,” he said.
“Trust and good cooperation with partners are crucial to ensuring the elimination of criminal groups and preventing their re-emergence or relocation from one place to another,” he added.
Jina noted that Cambodian authorities have consistently cooperated with Korean authorities in suppressing fraud involving Korean nationals. She added that her delegation was given the opportunity to inspect several scam locations and observe preparations for repatriating Korean citizens.
Both sides will continue to cooperate in areas such as information exchange, targeting suspects, coordinating the return of Korean citizens and other practical collaborations.
Sinarith explained that Cambodia’s approach is to identify the sources of involvement in these transnational crimes.
In the past four months, Cambodian authorities have sent a total of 75 “masterminds” and their accomplices to court and detained over other 3,400 suspects who are involved in technology-related fraud, in accordance with existing legal procedures, according to the CCTC.
The committee is working closely with its partners and relevant countries to investigate the evidence seized from perpetrators during the suppression operations of the past few months.
Cambodia has previously arrested and then repatriated at least 180 Korean nationals involved in technology-related fraud to South Korea. Currently, more than 60 Korean nationals identified as being involved in scam operations are in custody and awaiting repatriation, added the CCTC.
