Anchor: The National Police Agency says it will work directly with Cambodian authorities, as well as Interpol, to respond to a recent surge of job scams that has led to the kidnapping, imprisonment and death of South Korean citizens in the Southeast Asian nation.
Rosyn Park reports.

Report: The Korean National Police Agency(KNPA) has come up with new measures to counter the recent rise in violent crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia.

Acting Police Commissioner General Yoo Jae-sung said on Monday that he will meet with high-ranking Cambodian police officials in Seoul on October 23 to discuss the launch of a “Korean Desk” in Cambodia.

The desk would allow South Korea to dispatch police to Cambodia to respond to crimes targeting South Korean citizens and communicate directly with Cambodian authorities without embassy involvement.

The KNPA said it will also deploy more police consuls in areas where South Koreans are frequently targeted.

The move follows the recent death of a South Korean college student, who authorities say was kidnapped, beaten and tortured after entering Cambodia in July.

It also comes amid accusations that the South Korean embassy in Phnom Penh lacks the resources to address a surge in crime, with only three assigned police officers.

To further strengthen its global response capacity, the police agency will conduct joint operations targeting transnational crimes in collaboration with international policing bodies such as Interpol and ASEANAPOL. 

The presidential office said the same day that it would convene the first meeting of a pan-governmental Cambodian crime task force to better understand the current situation and dangers South Koreans face in the Southeast Asian country and develop a stronger response.
Rosyn Park, KBS World Radio News.