By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young
Recent consecutive kidnappings and detentions targeting Koreans in Cambodia have escalated beyond mere public safety concerns, shaking the diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cambodia. Particularly as these incidents are revealed to be the work of international criminal organizations colluding with Cambodia's corrupt authorities, the gravity of the situation is escalating toward potential international sanctions against Cambodia.
This shocking crisis is shaking the very foundation of South Korea's core diplomatic policy, the ‘New Southern Policy,’ which has been pursued since the Moon Jae-in administration, demanding comprehensive changes.
1. The severity of the Cambodia crisis: From diplomatic issue to international sanctions and the crisis of the ‘New Southern Policy’
The shocking reality of Koreans being kidnapped, detained, and assaulted within Cambodia's large-scale crime complexes (online scam compounds) has been reported for years, but recently the brutality has reached extreme levels. The problem is that this crime is being carried out systematically amid suspicions of collusion and complicity with local authorities.
Consequently, the international community, including the US and UK, is exerting strong pressure, such as designating companies related to casinos and fraud centers headquartered in Cambodia (the Prince Group) as key targets for sanctions.
South Korea, prioritizing the ‘protection of its citizens,’ is also urging strong diplomatic protests and enhanced cooperation with the Cambodian government.
This situation signals a shift in the foundation of the ‘New Southern Policy,’ a key diplomatic initiative pursued by the Moon Jae-in administration. As Cambodia, a key target country under the New Southern Policy aimed at elevating relations with ASEAN nations to the level of the four major powers (including the US and China) and strengthening economic cooperation and cultural exchange, has been highlighted as a ‘hotbed of crime,’ a comprehensive revision of diplomatic policy prioritizing ‘security and citizen safety’ has become inevitable.
Calls are growing louder for diplomatic policy to reflect a sober assessment of partner countries' governance and security stability, going beyond simple economic cooperation. Policy retreats are already visible, with some local governments temporarily suspending exchange programs with Cambodia.
2. Controversy over the Cambodia-based Korean Embassy's response and proposals for changes to citizen protection policy to secure the 'golden time'
Another factor exacerbating the situation's severity is the controversy surrounding the inappropriate response by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Cambodia. Reports emerged that victims who had managed to escape from the abduction and detention facility arrived at the embassy but were told “the civil affairs office hours are over” or “it's not business hours,” forcing them to wait over two hours without immediate assistance.
This sparked widespread public outrage. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that an emergency call had been received, the act of closing the door to victims who risked their lives to escape, citing ‘outside business hours,’ is difficult to defend against criticism that it disregarded the embassy's fundamental duty to protect overseas citizens.
Accordingly, the government must use this incident as an opportunity to pursue fundamental changes to the overseas citizen protection system.
Proposed changes to citizen protection policy:
1. Mandate a ’24-hour Emergency Relief System’ and redefine Standard Operating Procedures (SOP):
o Designate Embassy ‘Green Zone’: Establish ‘Emergency Relief Green Zone’ at designated areas like embassy/consulate entrances and nearby guard posts. This ensures immediate consular assistance during life-threatening emergencies like crimes or abductions, regardless of working hours. All staff must be fully aware of these zones.
o Mandatory Response to ‘Emergency Consular Calls’ and Accelerated On-Site Dispatch: Establish stringent regulations requiring the consular officer responsible for the area to immediately answer emergency calls and dispatch personnel to the scene or the mission within the ‘Golden Time’.
2. Significantly Strengthen Personnel/Expertise at Missions in ‘Overseas Crime-Prone Countries’:
o Immediate establishment of ‘Korean Desks’ and reinforcement of resident officers (police, legal): In countries like Cambodia where organized crime targeting Koreans is severe, a ‘Korean Desk’ should be immediately established, as in the Philippines, to specialize in cooperation with local police. Simultaneously, resident officers specializing in crime response, such as police and Ministry of Justice personnel, must be significantly increased.
o Enhance Consular Diplomacy Expertise of Diplomatic Personnel: When corruption within local law enforcement is suspected, avoid a passive approach of leaving victims solely to local police. Instead, strengthen proactive ‘consular diplomacy’ capabilities to secure substantive cooperation from the Cambodian government through high-level diplomatic channels.
3. Establish a ‘Preemptive Information and Prevention’ System:
o Establish a permanent monitoring system for ‘overseas employment scams’: A specialized agency should be established to continuously monitor and investigate illegal recruitment advertisements, such as those offering high-paying part-time jobs or bank account sales, occurring on SNS and online job sites, thereby severing links with domestic criminal organizations.
The Cambodia incident poses critical questions about South Korea's foreign policy and its overseas citizen protection system. The government must address the shortcomings of the ‘New Southern Policy’ while, under the principle that “the lives and safety of our citizens are paramount,” root out negligence and passive responses from overseas diplomatic missions. It must establish a system capable of protecting its citizens with a strong and resolute will, comparable to the ‘Operation Dawn in the Gulf of Aden’.
