South Korea has issued a “code black” travel warning for parts of Cambodia, urging citizens to leave areas affected by employment scams and detention cases targeting Koreans.

The ban covers border towns Poipet and Bavet, and the Bokor Mountain region, where a 22-year-old Korean student was allegedly tortured to death in August.

Around 60 South Koreans remain detained after a crackdown on scam operations, with another 80 unaccounted for, as victims are often lured with high-paying job offers and forced into online fraud under brutal conditions.

A high-level South Korean delegation, including officials from foreign affairs, justice, police, and intelligence agencies, has arrived in Phnom Penh to coordinate repatriation, potentially via charter flight, The Guardian has reported.

The crisis highlights Cambodia’s sprawling scam industry, involving an estimated 200,000 people globally, and has prompted South Korea to strengthen screening on recruitment platforms.