Cambodia's modern slavery system: South Korean student murdered at scam centre

Al Jazeera English

130,742 views • 7 days ago

Video Summary

Forced laborers are trapped in giant compounds across Cambodia, coerced into perpetrating online and phone scams. Victims are often lured by fraudulent job offers or outright abducted, with torture and murder reportedly being commonplace. The latest incident involved a 22-year-old South Korean student who died from a heart attack attributed to severe torture, according to an initial autopsy. An estimated 8,000 South Koreans are believed to work in these centers, a fraction of the approximately 200,000 individuals from various nationalities engaged in Cambodia's burgeoning scam industry, which targets people globally. In response, South Korea has imposed a total travel ban on Cambodia, barring only government delegations, as they seek the return of the deceased student's body and the repatriation of over 60 detained Koreans accused of operating these scam centers. These operations, which have been growing since raids in 2022, have also expanded into Laos and Myanmar, with rescued workers showing signs of abuse. There are concerns about the ineffectiveness or corruption of responses to these human rights abuses, with suggestions of state complicity. Furthermore, a US Congress committee is investigating Starlink's potential role in providing internet for these scam centers in Myan

Short Highlights

Forced laborers in Cambodia are used for online and phone scams, facing torture and murder.
A 22-year-old South Korean student died from a heart attack due to severe torture.
Around 8,000 South Koreans and an estimated 200,000 people of various nationalities work in Cambodia's scam industry.
South Korea has imposed a total travel ban on Cambodia, with exceptions for government delegations.
Scam operations are expanding into Laos and Myanmar, with concerns of ineffectiveness and corruption in addressing abu

Key Details

Forced Labor and Scam Operations in Cambodia [00:00]

Forced laborers are exploited in giant compounds across Cambodia, profiting from online and phone scams.
Workers are often lured by fake job offers or abducted, with torture and murder described as routine.
The latest victim was a 22-year-old South Korean student who an initial autopsy showed died of a heart attack caused by severe torture.
Approximately 8,000 South Koreans are estimated to labor at these centers, part of a larger workforce.

Workers say they're often lured by fake job offers or abduction. Torture and murder are said to be routine.

Scale of the Scam Industry and International Response [00:37]

Around 200,000 people of various nationalities are estimated to be working in Cambodia's scam industry, conducting online scams targeting the entire world.
South Korea has placed a total travel ban on Cambodia, with the sole exception being a government delegation.
This delegation is in Phnom Penh seeking the return of the deceased student's body and the repatriation of over 60 Koreans detained in Cambodia, accused of operating scam centers.
These centers were targeted by massive raids in 2022 but have continued to grow, expanding into Laos and Myanmar.

Cambodia. >> It's known that around 200,000 people of various nationalities are working in Cambodia's scam industry.

Human Rights Abuses and Investigations [01:22]

Rescued workers from these centers in Laos and Myanmar display signs of alleged abuse.
Responses to these abuses have been described as ineffective at best, and corrupt at worst, pointing towards state complicity.
A US Congress committee is investigating the involvement of Starlink in providing internet access for scam centers in Myanmar.
The situation is viewed as modern-day slavery, with destructive results from what slaves can be made to do.
Three individuals arrested for the murder of the Korean student in Cambodia were Chinese, prompting South Korea to seek cooperation with Beijing.

Their response has been at best ineffective and at worst corrupt, demonstrating its acquiescence and pointing towards state complicity in the human rights abuses taking plac