"Missing After Traveling to Cambodia" Reports Surge Nationwide, Including Busan and Incheon

Families and Acquaintances Lose Contact After Traveling to Cambodia
Disappearance After Passing Through Vietnam... Police Launch International Joint Investigation

Following a series of missing person reports in Busan and Incheon regarding family members or acquaintances who traveled to Cambodia and then lost contact, police have launched an investigation into the possibility of confinement or criminal involvement.

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The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency announced on October 14 that two suspected kidnapping reports were filed earlier this month, and authorities are currently working to verify the whereabouts of the individuals involved.

A man in his 50s, referred to as Mr. A, left the country in early May to seek employment but lost contact with his family after about two weeks. Recently, he made a phone call to his family, claiming that he was being held captive in a building in Cambodia and pleaded for rescue. Police have confirmed records showing that Mr. A entered Vietnam, and are now investigating whether he subsequently crossed into Cambodia.

In another case, a man in his 20s, referred to as Mr. B, left the country in July of this year. He recently contacted an acquaintance via social networking service (SNS), stating, "I have been kidnapped in Cambodia," which led to a police report being filed. Entry and exit records also indicate that Mr. B's destination was Vietnam.

The police are investigating possible connections to criminal organizations operating in the Bavet area near the Cambodian border. Numerous Chinese-run criminal groups are known to be active in this region, and there have been testimonies of human rights abuses, including assault and torture, taking place in "wenqi" (detention facilities).

Meanwhile, the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency has received four missing person reports since last year, all involving cases where families lost contact with relatives who traveled to Cambodia. Among the missing is a man in his 20s, referred to as Mr. A, who left the country in May to earn money but lost contact with his family just a few days later.

Of the missing person reports filed in Incheon for individuals who departed for Cambodia, one was received last year and three were filed this year. So far, there is no evidence that the missing individuals have been detained locally or that their families have been contacted for ransom.

A police official stated, "We have requested assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to determine their whereabouts and are investigating possible criminal involvement through international cooperation with local police and other authorities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.