The presidential office said on the 12th that 26 members of a scam crime ring who committed crimes including sexual exploitation in Cambodia were arrested.
Kang Yu-jung, Spokesperson for the presidential office, said at a briefing that "in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, we succeeded in arresting members who impersonated state agencies and sexually exploited women."
They are accused of being based in Phnom Penh and impersonating prosecutors and the Financial Supervisory Service to extort money and valuables from women and others in Korea. They allegedly deceived victims into thinking they were involved in crimes and then took money and valuables under the pretext of an investigation. So far, 165 victims have been identified, with losses totaling 26.7 billion won.
Some victims were allegedly induced into a "self-confinement" state that kept them from leaving lodging facilities and were forced to film and send sexually exploitative videos or photos.
Kang, the Spokesperson, noted, "This shows that scam crimes have evolved to upend lives entirely, including by exploiting psychological vulnerabilities to commit sexual exploitation."
Many members of the crime ring are known to be Korean. Kang, the Spokesperson, said the "Korea task force," where Korean and Cambodian police work jointly, and the National Intelligence Service together identified the location of the crime ring, and on the 5th, the scene was raided through local police.
Kang, the Spokesperson, said, "The government will ensure punishment through the swift repatriation of the criminals to Korea," adding, "as directed by President Lee Jae-myung, we will respond sternly to digital sex crimes and transnational crimes and make clear that those who harm citizens of Korea will face harsh accountability."