A South Korean student was recently found dead in a car in Cambodia, a suspected victim of forced labor. Tragically, he is just one of the thousands lured to the region and then trapped behind the walls of one of the many cyber-scam compounds that dot the surrounding jungles. It’s a crime narrative that’s becoming so common, it’s like a script for modern slavery. 

Summer holiday gone wrong 

It was mid-July when Park Min-ho left home telling his family he was attending an exhibition in Cambodia during his summer holiday. A week later, his family received a ransom call. Two weeks later his body was found in an area known for scam compounds and human trafficking.   

Writing about the crime Raphael Rashid stated: 

“According to Cambodia’s interior ministry, (Park) died from “severe torture” and showed bruising in many places on the body, based on authorities’ investigation and preliminary autopsy.” 

Park’s death underlined the soaring number of kidnappings of South Koreans in Cambodia recently. So much so that South Korean president called for “all-out” diplomatic efforts to protect citizens. But stories like Park’s have become increasingly commonplace. Traffickers promise victims high-paying jobs, confine them in compounds and, using torture, force them to participate in online fraud.

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