Seoul: A chartered flight carrying approximately 60 South Korean nationals who were detained in Cambodia over involvement in online scams is set to return to South Korea early Saturday, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac announced on Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the repatriation effort is part of a larger initiative by South Korea, which has dispatched a joint response team to Cambodia to tackle crimes targeting its nationals. This move follows heightened public concern after the torture and death of a South Korean college student in Cambodia. The flight is scheduled to depart from Phnom Penh around 2 a.m. Saturday, Korean time, and will arrive at Incheon International Airport near Seoul.
Wi stated that the majority of those being repatriated are criminal suspects with arrest warrants issued by the Korean government. They will be escorted back to South Korea following appropriate legal procedures. A team of Korean police officers, whose numbers exceed those of the detainees, will travel to Phnom Penh to ensure their safe return.
Wi further explained that the Korean government's arrest warrants will be enforced as soon as the individuals board the flight. Upon arrival, they will be questioned about their involvement in illegal activities and face legal consequences if found guilty.
The repatriation is part of South Korea's increased diplomatic efforts to rescue its nationals who have been caught up in online scam operations or held against their will by criminal organizations. The government aims to continue working closely with Cambodian authorities to combat crimes, including voice phishing schemes targeting South Koreans.
Park Il, the former South Korean ambassador to Lebanon and current head of a joint task force, arrived in Phnom Penh late Thursday to lead efforts in assisting Koreans detained in online scam centers in Cambodia. Additionally, the South Korean foreign ministry has directed its overseas embassies to conduct inspections to preemptively identify similar cases.