South Koreans face more kidnappings, disappearances in China, Cambodia and eight other countries

South Korean travellers at Incheon International Airport. Accidents and incidents involving South Korean nationals in 10 countries under Seoul’s travel advisories rose 48.3 per cent in 2025. — Pexels pic

First Published: Sunday, 25 Oct 2026 9:00 PM MYT

SEOUL, Oct 25 — The number of accidents and incidents involving South Korean nationals in 10 countries under Seoul’s travel advisories rose nearly 50 per cent in 2025 from the previous year, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing data released on Sunday.

In the 10 countries for which Seoul issued travel advisories most frequently over the past five years, cases involving South Korean nationals totalled 4,016 in 2025, up 48.3 per cent from 2024, according to data from the foreign ministry and the National Police Agency submitted to Representative Kim Joon-hwan of the ruling Democratic Party.

The countries are Russia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cambodia, Thailand, China, El Salvador, Mexico, Lebanon, Iran and Laos.

Cases of losing contact saw the sharpest rise, increasing to 617 in 2025 from 248 the previous year, the data showed.

Kidnapping and confinement cases more than doubled to 553 last year from 246 in 2024. 

Cases of suspected missing persons jumped nearly fivefold to 188 in 2025.

By country, accidents and incidents involving South Koreans increased the most in China, with cases rising to 1,580 from 1,133 the previous year.

In Cambodia, such cases rose from 569 to 917 last year, accounting for 43.5 per cent of the total year on year increase across the 10 countries, the latest findings showed.

A police unit in Cambodia dedicated exclusively to crimes involving South Koreans, known as the Korea Desk, was launched last November to tackle rising crimes targeting South Koreans, including online scams. 

Eight South Koreans have since been rescued and 107 arrested in a joint crackdown on scam operations in Cambodia. — Bernama-Yonhap