President Lee Jae Myung ordered that a government joint response team be dispatched to Cambodia on Wednesday to address rising cases of employment scams, kidnapping and detention involving South Korean nationals.

The presidential office said in a news release Tuesday that the response team, led by the second vice minister of foreign affairs, will work closely with Cambodian authorities to protect affected citizens and expedite the autopsy and repatriation of a South Korean student killed in the country.

Following Lee’s directive, Seoul convened an emergency meeting with Phnom Penh and agreed to establish a South Korea–Cambodia joint task force focused on scams. 

The task force will involve police and investigative authorities from both nations.

The government will also arrange flights to repatriate South Korean nationals who are currently detained in Cambodia on criminal charges.

Upon their return, these individuals will be investigated for alleged involvement in online scam crimes and, if found guilty, will face appropriate legal consequences.

Additionally, the government is actively considering designating key areas in Cambodia where such crimes have occurred as “no-travel zones” to prevent further incidents.