Viewers Horrified as Cambodian Gang Member Blames Korean Kidnapping Victims

The latest episode of SBS’s investigative program Unanswered Questions has shed light on the grim reality of Korean-targeted kidnapping and human trafficking crimes in Cambodia — and the disturbing mindset of the perpetrators behind them.

The October 16 broadcast, titled “Cambodian Crime City: 88 Days of Pursuit,” followed the show’s production team as they traced the operations of criminal syndicates luring Koreans abroad under the pretense of “high-paying part-time jobs.”

Victims were allegedly abducted, confined, beaten, and sold after being deceived by false job advertisements and transported to Wenchi, Cambodia, a hub for illegal online scams.

One survivor, identified as Seo Ho-jung (alias), told the program: “It’s horrifying. Koreans are tricking and selling other Koreans. I can’t believe it.”

During the investigation, the Unanswered Questions team managed to confront a local gang member known as “Nami.”

When asked about his role, Nami said: “Honestly, I was just connected to someone. I got the contact through Telegram. They told me to call right away if I saw anyone suspicious — someone wearing jeans, a shirt, and hiking shoes, like a typical police outfit.”

Shockingly, Nami went on to justify the kidnappings, saying: “I don’t like torture or kidnapping either, but they brought it on themselves. Let’s be honest — no one forced them to come here. They came on their own feet, looking to make money through illegal work. Who can they blame? If they hadn’t come, none of this would’ve happened.”

His comments drew outrage from viewers and online communities, who condemned his lack of remorse and the dehumanizing attitude toward victims.

The episode also revisited previous Cambodian crime cases involving Korean nationals, including the July 2025 incident in which a Korean university student was found dead, and the unsolved 2023 murder of BJ Ah-young, whose body was discovered wrapped in a red cloth in a ditch near Kandal Province, close to Phnom Penh.

Despite international attention, no full resolution has been reached in many of these cases, deepening public concern over Korean human trafficking networks in Southeast Asia.

Unanswered Questions has pledged to continue its investigation into the cross-border criminal operations, aiming to expose how Telegram-based recruitment scams and organized trafficking rings target financially vulnerable young Koreans.

Sources: 네이트 뉴스