Seoul [South Korea], November 27 : South Korea on Thursday announced independent sanctions against 15 individuals and 132 entities involved in transnational crimes in Southeast Asia, primarily targeting online scams that defraud South Korean nationals, Yonhap News Agency reported.
According to the Yonhap News Agency, the move comes in the wake of widespread outrage over the death of a South Korean college student, who was reportedly tortured by an online job-scam ring in Cambodia.
The incident prompted the South Korean government to intensify efforts against transnational criminal networks in the region.
According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, the sanctions target criminal organisations engaged in voice phishing and other online fraud, including members linked to Prince Group and Huione Group.
Prince Group is known for operating online scam rings in Cambodia's Prince Complex and Mango Complex, luring South Koreans with promises of high-paying jobs. At the same time, Huione Group operates a widely used online payment platform that is used for money laundering, Yonhap News Agency reported.
"The government has been making all-out and comprehensive efforts to respond to transnational crimes that pose serious threats to the lives and property of our citizens," the ministry said, adding that the sanctions are an extension of ongoing measures and consultations with other countries to eradicate such crimes, as reported by the Yonhap News Agency.
South Korea recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to cooperate on countering voice phishing and online fraud, following talks between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping.
Many of these scam operations in Southeast Asia are reportedly run by, or linked to, Chinese nationals or companies, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Additionally, Seoul has signed an MoU with Cambodia to establish a task force within the Cambodian police to tackle online scams targeting South Koreans and ensure better protection of its citizens abroad.