South Korea plans to use the upcoming ASEAN summit to strengthen transnational crime cooperation against organized scams and violent offenses in Cambodia. The initiative highlights Seoul’s growing urgency to protect its citizens from online job scams spreading across Southeast Asia.
Wi Sung-lac, head of the presidential National Security Office, announced Thursday that Seoul will raise the issue at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia later this month. He said the meeting offers an opportunity to establish practical transnational crime cooperation among ASEAN members and partner nations.
Wi explained that South Korea aims to build a framework for joint investigations and direct intelligence sharing with regional policing agencies. He emphasized that countries must act together since criminal networks now operate beyond borders.
“These scams have turned into complex, well-funded operations,” Wi said. “We must strengthen transnational crime cooperation to dismantle these global syndicates.”
The presidential office views the summit as a critical platform to propose multilateral strategies against cyber fraud, kidnapping, and human trafficking linked to fake job offers. Wi added that Seoul will continue pushing similar initiatives through international bodies such as the United Nations and the OECD.
South Korea faces a rising number of reports involving citizens deceived by false employment ads in Cambodia. Many victims fall into confinement and forced labor in online scam centers. According to the Foreign Ministry, authorities logged over 330 such cases between January and August 2025, compared to 220 in 2024.
Officials resolved most reports, but around 80 remain under investigation. The National Intelligence Service estimates that over 1,000 South Koreans still suffer in scam compounds across Cambodia.
President Lee Jae Myung ordered an emergency delegation to Cambodia this week. Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a led the team, which included officials from the National Police Agency and the National Intelligence Service.
The delegation met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and senior government officials. Both sides agreed to coordinate rescue efforts, share information, and strengthen preventive actions.
At the same time, South Korean police continue investigating the death of a Korean woman near the Cambodia-Vietnam border. Investigators suspect her case connects to regional scam operations and plan to follow new leads.
Analysts say Seoul’s initiative marks a stronger regional stance against organized online crime. They expect the proposal to encourage ASEAN countries to increase collaboration on cross-border investigations and digital fraud prevention.
Government officials believe the ASEAN summit could serve as a turning point for security cooperation in Asia. Through stronger coordination and shared intelligence, nations aim to protect their citizens from the expanding threat of transnational criminal networks.
