On the 23rd, Cambodia's General Department of Immigration deported 209 foreign nationals, including 73 South Koreans. These South Korean citizens are accused of involvement in online fraud and other related transnational criminal activities, and will face further investigation by judicial authorities in their home country upon return.
According to China News Service, this deportation operation is also a significant achievement in the Cambodian government's ongoing efforts to combat online fraud and other cross-border crimes. In mid-January, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet delivered a speech calling for national unity to eradicate online fraud, which he described as a social scourge. On January 21, Hun Manet presided over a meeting to launch a new nationwide crackdown campaign targeting online fraud and related criminal activities.
The deportation of Prince Group founder Chen Zhi has been regarded by outsiders as the most emblematic incident.
In an interview with a China News Service reporter, Cambodian Ministry of Justice official Wu Xiaolong emphasized that the country's robust crackdown on online fraud is not only a "tough fight" in terms of law and order, but also a critical "turnaround battle" concerning national image and development trajectory. If this high-pressure operation can be sustained and institutionalized, it will to a large extent reshape external perceptions of Cambodia's security and governance capabilities.
Wu Xiaolong stated that Cambodia's new round of actions against online fraud and other transnational crimes has demonstrated a completely different scale, institutional buildup, and international cooperation compared to the past, creating a real opportunity for the country to shed its reputation for telecom fraud and rebuild its image as a responsible nation.