According to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, a court in Kampot Province sentenced the six men, aged between 30 and 54, for murder involving torture and aggravated fraud. Park was said to have traveled to Cambodia last year after receiving a false job offer. Once there, he was coerced into participating in criminal activities by the online scam organization and was subjected to severe abuse before his death. His body was discovered in August of the previous year in Kampot.
The autopsy report released by South Korean authorities in November indicated that Park died from blunt force trauma due to beating and torture. The Cambodian court found sufficient evidence to convict the six defendants.
Southeast Asian online scam operations have been known to attract foreigners with offers of high-paying part-time jobs and overseas employment, only to involve them in voice phishing and investment fraud schemes. Victims often face confinement, threats, and violence during this process.
In response to these crimes, Cambodia has intensified its crackdown. The AP reported that the local parliament passed a law in March allowing for life sentences for operators of online scam organizations. Authorities have expelled 18,864 individuals from 33 countries between January 2025 and May of this year, and have prosecuted 1,458 people.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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