Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet held a summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 27, agreeing to establish a 'Korea Task Force' dedicated to tackling crimes, particularly online scam operations, targeting South Korean nationals in Cambodia. This agreement, finalized during discussions on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, marks a significant step in bilateral efforts to address growing security concerns following a high-profile case involving the death of a Korean university student.
The joint task force is scheduled to become operational in November. It will function as a coordinated investigative and enforcement body, allowing both nations' law enforcement agencies to jointly crack down on criminal activities. The task force will involve the dispatch of South Korean police officers to Cambodia, with the specific scale of the deployment and operational mechanisms to be finalized shortly.
President Lee expressed profound gratitude to Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Cambodian authorities for their "special consideration" toward the safety of South Korean citizens amid the public's heightened sensitivity to scam crimes. Lee also indicated that, in light of the improved security situation and the launch of the new task force, he would instruct officials to review the possibility of lowering the special travel advisory currently in place for certain areas, including Phnom Penh.
Prime Minister Hun Manet, for his part, offered his "sincere condolences" over the "unfortunate incident" involving the recent death of the Korean university student who was allegedly tortured. He reassured the South Korean delegation that Cambodian police had acted swiftly, immediately investigating the case and arresting the perpetrators. The Prime Minister emphasized Cambodia’s commitment to cooperating closely with Seoul to track down all individuals involved in scam-related offenses.
The leaders also seized the opportunity to discuss the broader expansion of Korea-Cambodia relations. President Lee underscored the "very special relationship" between the two nations and voiced his anticipation for the two countries to forge a "new phase of cooperation." Hun Manet reciprocated, noting the strong people-to-people exchanges, with South Korea being a top investor and tourism source for Cambodia, and a country where many Cambodian laborers are employed. He concluded by thanking the South Korean government for its continued support in Cambodia's national development.
The joint task force initiative aims to provide a more effective and direct mechanism for preventing and prosecuting transnational crimes, establishing a precedent for cooperation in the region similar in purpose, though not identical in structure, to the 'Korea Desk' operating in the Philippines.
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