The government will dispatch a joint response team to Cambodia on Wednesday to address a recent surge in employment scams, kidnappings and detentions targeting South Koreans.

Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-joon said during a briefing Tuesday that the task force, led by Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2nd Vice Minister Kim Jin-a and including representatives of the National Police Agency and National Intelligence Service, will aim to increase the South Korean embassy in Phnom Penh's capacity to respond to such cases, including assigning additional police attachés to the office.

Kim said that during a Cabinet meeting earlier the same day, President Lee Jae Myung had expressed a “strong determination to resolve the situation” and instructed ministries to mobilize every available resource to protect the South Korean citizens targeted by such crimes and ensure their rapid return.

Meanwhile, the government is considering raising its travel advisory for high-risk areas in Cambodia to prevent further incidents. It also plans to step up its monitoring of overseas job ads, punish fraudulent recruiters and expand its public awareness campaigns.

The justice ministry plans to expand its crime-related cooperation networks throughout Southeast Asia and other regions to crack down on crime rings overseas.

The police will also cooperate with Cambodian authorities on a joint investigation into the recent death of a South Korean student and open a public reporting campaign before the end of October to encourage additional targets to come forward.