Seoul: The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has identified a key suspect in the alleged torture and death of a South Korean college student in Cambodia, linked to a fraudulent job scam. This revelation was made during a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee, as reported by lawmakers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the NIS disclosed that the suspect is an accomplice of the ringleader associated with a significant drug case in Seoul's Gangnam district earlier this year. The spy agency has been actively tracking down the suspect since receiving intelligence on the student's death three days after the incident, identifying the suspect within eight days. Police efforts to apprehend the suspect are ongoing.
The NIS highlighted the alarming involvement of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 South Korean nationals in scam operations in Cambodia. These scams have often led to the abduction and detention of South Koreans. In a related operation, a Chinese national, suspected of supplying methamphetamine-laced beverages to students in Gangnam, was apprehended in Cambodia with assistance from the NIS.
From June to July 2023, Cambodian police arrested 3,075 individuals in connection with these scams, including 57 South Koreans. The NIS estimates that around 50 scam compounds are currently operating in regions like Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, involving approximately 200,000 participants.
The NIS also clarified the status of South Koreans involved in these scams, emphasizing that many should be considered "perpetrators" rather than "victims." This shift in narrative is due to their active participation in the crimes, often motivated by financial incentives and involving the use of illegal mobile phones.
In a separate report, the NIS commented on North Korea's recent military parade, which aimed to bolster Kim Jong-un's image as a global leader and demonstrate that international sanctions have minimal effects on its economy. The parade, held in Pyongyang on October 10, featured the debut of the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, underscoring North Korea's advanced missile capabilities and support from allied nations.