The Foreign Ministry confirmed that it is still unable to verify the whereabouts of those 80 people and is comparing its records with police data to ensure accuracy. A team led by the second vice-foreign minister is being sent to Cambodia this week to coordinate search and rescue efforts with local authorities.

The disappearances mark a sharp escalation in cases involving South Koreans in Cambodia. Parliamentary data shows that only a handful of incidents were recorded in 2023, but the number surged tenfold in 2024 and grew even further this year. 

Lawmakers say the majority of victims were misled by online job postings offering unusually high salaries, only to be coerced into fraudulent work after arrival.

Many victims are believed to have been taken to compounds run by organised criminal groups. Once inside, they are forced to run online scams targeting foreign victims, sometimes including fellow South Koreans. Those who refuse to cooperate are often subjected to violence , confinement, or extortion, according to officials familiar with the cases.

The issue drew national outrage after the death of a young South Korean student in Cambodia, who investigators say was kidnapped and tortured before he died. His case has fuelled demands for stronger government protection and more decisive action against criminal operations abroad.

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered urgent measures to safeguard citizens, describing the situation as deeply distressing and warning that the number of victims is “not small.” He told ministers that the government must act quickly to reunite families and prevent further incidents.

South Korean authorities say they are also seeking the release of about 60 nationals currently detained by Cambodian police and are believed to have been forced to participate in illegal schemes run by larger criminal networks.

In response, the Foreign Ministry is tightening travel restrictions to parts of Cambodia known for scam activity. Officials are also considering raising the country’s travel warning and urging job seekers to be wary of overseas offers that appear unusually generous.

The crisis comes amid a regional surge in online fraud operations, many of them based in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Thousands of people from across Asia have been trafficked into such compounds, where they are compelled to work under harsh conditions .

Prosecutors said the group was arrested in September 2025 after raids on buildings in Tujereng and Batokunku, where police seized 242 mobile phones, 72 desktop computers, 54 laptops, seven routers, a flat-screen TV, two Starlink internet systems, and other accessories. The equipment was allegedly used to generate fake data on social media platforms to commit cyber fraud.

All 60 defendants pleaded guilty after the charges were read in English and translated into Chinese. Prosecutors described the group as a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate, accusing them of running fraud schemes through WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and cryptocurrency platforms such as Coinbase and Crypto.com, using VPNs to hide their locations. Investigators said the syndicate had invested heavily in technology, logistics, and property to sustain a large-scale cyber fraud network in The Gambia.

The court also ruled that all 60 nationals are to be deported to China within 10 days of completing their sentences or paying the fines. Until then, they will remain confined to one location under the supervision of the Gambia Immigration Department, which has been tasked with overseeing and facilitating their removal by air, land, or sea.

According to a sworn affidavit by Police Constable Peter Mwangi, Mogwasi is alleged to have operated a fake Facebook account under the name of June Ruto, where he posted content on March 20 and April 8, 2025, purporting to be the president’s daughter, the Standard reports.

Mogwasi was arrested on Wednesday, April 9, in Mombasa County, before being transported to Nairobi for questioning and further investigation. The DCI cited provisions under Section 29 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act No. 5 of 2018, which criminalizes identity theft and impersonation using digital platforms.

“The respondent (Mogwasi) was arrested... on allegations of identity theft and impersonation,” Officer Mwangi told the court, emphasising that the matter involves complex digital evidence that requires additional time to analyse.

The DCI has requested a full week of custody to allow forensic experts to examine the Facebook account activity, trace communication logs, and determine the full extent of the impersonation. Authorities believe the account may have misled members of the public and could have been used for undisclosed malicious intent.