Seo, a person surnamed Seo (34) who lives in Mok-dong, Yangcheon District, Seoul, planned a trip to Cambodia with a friend from Nov. 15 to see Angkor Wat for four nights and five days. But as news kept coming out that Koreans were being kidnapped and killed in Cambodia, Seo, feeling uneasy, tried to cancel the trip. When asked the travel agency if cancellation was possible, the only answer was that "the trip cannot be canceled." The reason was that the airline ticket could not be canceled under the airline's terms and conditions.
Still anxious, Seo said, "If it's a country where our nationals keep getting kidnapped, shouldn't the government step in and designate it as a 'travel ban country'?" adding, "That way, people who planned travel without knowing could cancel and get refunds."
As cases of Koreans being kidnapped and killed by criminal groups in Cambodia have recently been revealed one after another, this fear is growing on online communities.
◇ Flood of kidnapping reports in Cambodia… "As many as 330 cases through August this year"
The issue of kidnapping and confinement in Cambodia entered public debate after a case was reported in which A (22), a university student from Yecheon County, North Gyeongsang Province, left for Cambodia in Jul. and was found dead two weeks later. A was reportedly confined near a criminal compound in Cambodia and died from pain caused by torture. On the 13th, a man in his 30s from Sangju
Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party said on the 9th, "The number of reports of Koreans being kidnapped in Cambodia jumped from 10 to 20 cases annually in 2022–2023 to 220 cases last year and 330 cases through August this year," adding, "From 2023 through Jul. this year, there were 252 cases of employment fraud and confinement damage, 14.8 times the 17 cases in 2023."
On the same day, according to data submitted by lawmaker Kim Sang-uk of the Democratic Party of Korea from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the top countries by type of crime damage in 2024, Cambodia ranked first in kidnappings and confinement with 221 cases. That was 13.8 times the number in second-place Vietnam (16 cases).
Police say they will prepare measures such as setting up a Korean Desk (Korean police dispatched to local police authorities) in Cambodia, but on the 13th, Acting Commissioner General Yu Jae-seong said, "Compared with other Southeast Asian countries, cooperation between police authorities is relatively not smooth in Cambodia," adding, "If Cambodian police are not willing to cooperate, it will be difficult to find effective measures."
◇ "Are neighboring countries safe?" "If you're scared, don't go"
As a result, "Cambodia fear" is spreading on online travel communities. In a community specializing in travel to Vietnam, users shared Cambodia-related news and responded, "Cambodia is scary. Are neighboring countries safe?" Other online communities also saw responses such as "minimum tips to avoid kidnapping" and "never go to Cambodia."
On the online cafe of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a post said, "If you are worried (about public safety issues such as kidnapping), you should give up volunteer activities." However, an internet user who introduced oneself as a Korean running corporations in Cambodia wrote on a blog, "Contrary to the dark image shown in the news, this is a warm and vibrant country."
The travel industry says there has been no particular impact yet. An official at a travel platform company said, "What the industry mainly handles is package products," adding, "Package travelers use only the routes designated by the company, and customers are managed continuously, so it is relatively safe." Another travel agency official said, "Most of the travel industry builds products via Siem Reap Airport near Angkor Wat, Cambodia's biggest tourist resource, but direct flights from Korea to Siem Reap were closed during COVID-19 and will not open until this Dec.," adding, "We are in the initial customer recruitment stage now, so there has been no movement yet."