The South Korean government has announced a Level 4 “code-black” travel ban on several areas in Cambodia, including Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province, Bavet City, and Poipet City. The decision follows the brutal killing of a South Korean college student in August and a surge in reports of citizens being lured into scam operations and detained against their will.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the ban on Wednesday, warning that South Korean nationals who travel to or remain in the designated areas may face penalties under the Passport Act. The ban is the most severe in South Korea’s four-tier travel advisory system and effectively prohibits all travel to the affected regions.
The student’s death, which occurred near Bokor Mountain, has shocked the South Korean public and intensified scrutiny of criminal networks operating in Cambodia. Authorities believe the student was tortured and killed after being trafficked into a scam compound under the guise of a job offer.
In response, Seoul is dispatching a high-level delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina to Cambodia to coordinate rescue efforts and negotiate the release of South Koreans believed to be held in similar conditions. The National Intelligence Service and the presidential office are also involved in the mission.
According to South Korean officials, more than 1,000 of its nationals are thought to be working in scam centers in Cambodia, many of them unknowingly recruited through fraudulent employment schemes. These centers are part of a broader criminal industry believed to involve over 200,000 people of various nationalities.
The government has also raised the travel advisory for Sihanoukville Province to Level 3, urging citizens to leave the area due to its high concentration of criminal groups. Other regions remain under a Level 2.5 special advisory.
President Lee Jae-myung has vowed to intensify efforts to protect South Korean citizens abroad, calling the situation “unacceptable.” Lawmakers have urged stronger diplomatic and law enforcement cooperation with Cambodian authorities to dismantle the scam networks and prevent further tragedies.
The travel ban underscores growing international concern over Southeast Asia’s scam industry, which has been linked to human trafficking, forced labor, and organized crime. Victims from multiple countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and China, have reported similar abuses.
South Korea’s foreign ministry has urged all citizens currently in Cambodia to exercise extreme caution and to report any suspicious activity to the nearest embassy or consulate.
