South Korean ambassador explains president’s deleted Khmer-language text
Kim Chang Yong, ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia, on February 23 Inset, the now-deleted social media post. Sous Yamy
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The South Korean ambassador to Cambodia has stated that a Khmer-language message posted to social media by South Korea’s president on January 30, was intended to highlight the successful cooperation between Korean and Cambodian law enforcement in effectively cracking down on online scam syndicates. The message, which was later deleted, sparked a wide range of interpretations at the time.
During a February 23 interview with The Post, South Korean ambassador Kim Chang Yong noted that since South Korean and Cambodian law enforcement began joint operations in November 2025, they have carried out 12 raids on scam operations, resulting in the arrest of over 140 South Korean suspects.
When independent crackdowns conducted by Cambodian forces outside of the joint task force are considered, approximately 300 South Korean suspects have been arrested. The ambassador declined to disclose specific figures regarding the number of Korean victims.
He did, however, explain that the better-than-expected enforcement results earned the praise of President Lee Jae Myung, prompting him to post a message in Khmer on the X platform on January 30 to commend these efforts.
Regrettably, the president’s Khmer-language message, which contained a warning that he will “destroy anyone who harms South Korean citizens”, was interpreted by some as a warning directed at Cambodia. Following similar reporting by several Thai outlets, Lee Jae Myung deleted the post on the same day.
“Regarding the message from [the president], his original intention was to publicise the hard work of the joint Cambodia-Korea task force, similar to a message he had previously shared on February 13. In fact, the president wanted to show that our team performed exceptionally well, exceeding expectations, as the leaders had agreed to establish this task force, and it has truly done an excellent job,” the ambassador explained, through an interpreter.
“He simply wanted to highlight that the task force has performed effectively, arresting a large number of offenders, and he only wanted to praise the bilateral relations between the two countries in combating online crimes. South Korea consistently seeks to cooperate with Cambodia across all sectors moving forward, and in the future, we aim to collaborate on cracking down on scam operations across the region,” he added.
Following the unfortunate misunderstanding, Lee and Prime Minister Hun Manet exchanged messages on social media. Lee emphasised that the South Korean government is committed to further strengthening its close cooperation with Cambodia to jointly work toward eradicating transnational crimes. Manet welcomed Lee’s remarks, reiterating that Cambodia is determined to crack down on all forms of transnational crime, including cyber scams and human trafficking.
According to the ambassador, numerous cases of scams targeting South Korean citizens originating from Cambodia were detected in October 2025. However, following the establishment of the joint task force in November, the number of scam cases significantly decreased, dropping to approximately one-tenth of previous levels by January.
He noted that this collaboration has also expedited the extradition of South Korean criminals from Cambodia. Since November, two special flights have already been arranged for their deportation. Upon arriving in South Korea, they will immediately face justice under South Korean law.
South Korean citizens confident in Cambodia’s Safety
The ambassador also shared his regrets that news of the death of a South Korean student in mid-2025 appeared to have made South Korean tourists hesitant to visit Cambodia.
He noted that the case had not affected the investments of South Korean companies in Cambodia, which currently include around 200 companies and numerous garment factories. He expects the confidence of South Korean tourists in Cambodia to bounce back, especially now that the two nations are working together to crack down on online scams and are finding ways to recover and return defrauded funds to the victims.
“We might need some time to restore confidence among South Korean citizens. We now have a special task force, and they are operating very effectively. We are cracking down on crimes, arresting perpetrators, securing evidence and actively working to recover the money victims have lost and return it to them. It is likely that they will soon start viewing Cambodia positively again,” the ambassador told The Post.
According to the ambassador, joint efforts to eradicate scam operations have also contributed to the growth in trade volume between the two nations. In January 2026, Cambodia’s exports to South Korea increased by 23 per cent compared to January of the previous year.
“The embassy will strive to ensure that economic and trade cooperation, as well as people-to-people relations between Cambodia and South Korea, continue to grow, while further boosting bilateral trade volume,” he continued.
According to the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), bilateral trade between Cambodia and South Korea totalled over $923 million in 2025, a 9.8 per cent increase over 2024. Cambodian exports were stable at $326.78 million (up 2.3 per cent), while South Korean imports stood at $596 million (up 14.4 per cent).
Unfortunately, the number of South Korean tourists visiting Cambodia in 2025 totalled 152,598, a decrease of 20.6 per cent from the 192,305 guests the Kingdom welcomed the previous year. Commentators are confident that the decrease will be be recovered shortly, thanks to increased law enforcement cooperation between the two countries.
-Phnom Penh Post-
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