Korean KBS TV reported on October 15 that Cambodian authorities stated that approximately 80 South Koreans are currently detained within Cambodia, but they are unwilling to return to South Korea.
Cambodia's Ministry of Interior spokesperson Dusak 14 confirmed that although the South Korean government has contacted these 80 people, all of them have refused the opportunity to return to South Korea.
Dusak said that this is "initial information" he has received, but it has not yet been verified whether these 80 people are the "South Korean citizens who are missing in Cambodia" mentioned by the South Korean Foreign Ministry on the 14th.
According to Yonhap News, on October 15, South Korean National Security Office Director Wi Sung-rok said at a press conference at the Blue House in Seoul that the South Korean government's top priority is to quickly repatriate more than 60 South Korean suspects arrested by Cambodian investigative agencies, and strive to complete it before the weekend.
It is known that most South Koreans are detained by Cambodian criminal groups, and some South Koreans are also detained by Cambodian authorities for suspected telephone fraud. Because there are many uncertainties in rescuing South Korean citizens detained by criminal groups, the South Korean government plans to prioritize repatriating South Koreans who have been arrested by the investigative authorities.
Wi Sung-rok said that over 200,000 people from various countries are engaged in fraud activities in Cambodia, including more than 1,000 South Koreans. Cambodia recently conducted a strict crackdown operation and arrested thousands of people, among whom 63 were South Koreans. He also revealed that to repatriate these individuals, the South Korean government is arranging flights. Although the speed of negotiations between South Korea and Cambodia on related procedures still has uncertainties, efforts will be made to repatriate these citizens before the weekend.
The South Korean police announced on the 15th that four of the 63 South Koreans detained by the Cambodian immigration authorities had been sent back to South Korea on October 14 by passenger planes of airlines such as Korean Air. It is understood that these people were arrested during a local police operation against crime gang hideouts, and some of them are listed on the International Criminal Police Organization's red notice list. As a result, the number of South Korean citizens detained locally has decreased to 59.
The police previously released a protection plan for South Korean citizens in Cambodia, stating that they plan to send all detained individuals back to the country within one month. According to South Korea's Aviation Security Act, each flag carrier aircraft can carry a maximum of two detained suspects. Since the flag carrier flights between South Korea and Cambodia operate twice a day, the police can deport a maximum of four suspects per day.
It is reported that the South Korean government is considering a plan to send chartered flights to repatriate all detained individuals. A police official said that the repatriation work is being carried out in turn, but due to many uncertainties in the local situation, the arrangement of chartered flights to repatriate the individuals has not yet been decided.
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