Phnom penh: A South Korean parliamentary committee plans to conduct an on-site audit in Cambodia next week following the tragic death of a South Korean student in the Southeast Asian country, lawmakers said Monday. The National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee is set to hold the session at the South Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh on October 22 to assess the situation surrounding job scams and other crimes targeting South Koreans.
According to Yonhap News Agency, public outrage has intensified due to a series of reports concerning missing South Koreans and incidents of illegal detention in Cambodia. A particularly tragic case involved a university student who was found dead near Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province in August after being tortured and detained. His body has yet to be repatriated.
"We will verify how well local investigators are tracking crimes targeting our people, while clarifying the specific circumstances of the student case," stated Rep. Kim Ki-woong of the main opposition People Power Party. "We have requested a briefing from Cambodian authorities."
During the audit of the foreign ministry on Monday, lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party and the People Power Party clashed over who bears responsibility for the incident. The presidential office indicated that the government is considering dispatching investigators to Cambodia to expedite the investigation and ensure the swift return of South Korean nationals detained there.