SEOUL — Eighty South Koreans who were possible victims of fake jobs or scam centres were unaccounted for in Cambodia, South Korea’s foreign ministry told AFP today, after the torture death of a student there shocked the public.

A foreign ministry official said that between January and August this year, 330 South Koreans were reported to have gone missing or been held against their will after entering Cambodia.

As of August, “the safety of about 80 people has yet to be verified,” the official said.

The ministry added it was cross-checking the figures with police data at home to avoid overlap.

While there were around 21 cases of abduction involving South Koreans in Cambodia in 2023, the figure surged fifteenfold as of August this year, lawmaker Yoon Hu-duk said in a parliamentary hearing.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said today the recent kidnappings in Cambodia were causing “significant harm to South Koreans”.

“The numbers are not small, and many of our citizens are deeply concerned about their family members, friends, and neighbours who have been detained in Cambodia,” Lee said during a cabinet meeting.

“The government should immediately implement all available measures to ensure the safety of our citizens,” he added.

The presidential office said it would dispatch a joint response team to Cambodia tomorrow, led by the second vice foreign minister.

Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon said the government was also considering raising the travel advisory level for Cambodia.