The body of a South Korean university student in his 20s, who was tortured and died at the hands of a local criminal organization in Cambodia, has yet to be repatriated to Korea after two months.

According to police and other sources on the 10th, student A (in his 20s) was found dead in Cambodia on August 8th.

The area where student A was found was identified as being near the Bokor mountain region in Kampot Province, Cambodia, a location where victims of job scams and confinement targeting Koreans have frequently occurred.

Cambodian police listed the cause of death on A's death certificate as "heart attack (severe pain due to torture)."

It is understood that A had gone to Cambodia on July 17th, telling his family he was going to attend a local fair.

Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency. Photo courtesy of Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency.  

A week later, a threatening individual speaking with a Korean-Chinese (Joseonjok) accent contacted A's family by phone, demanding over 50 million won, claiming that "A caused an accident and it needs to be resolved."

A's family reported the incident to the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the phone call.

The police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised the family not to send any money and to provide the local police with A's location and photos, but the family was unable to ascertain A's whereabouts and could only confirm his condition through the threatening calls they received.

However, the calls from the extortionist ceased after four days, and A was found dead two weeks later.

A's body has been left in Cambodia for two months.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We have requested a swift investigation from the Cambodian judicial authorities and are continuously providing necessary consular assistance while communicating with the domestic bereaved family."

A police official said, "Last month, we dispatched police personnel to Cambodia to identify and repatriate A's body, but the process is being delayed due to issues with cooperation from the Cambodian government."

It is reported that A's body has not yet undergone an autopsy.

Police are investigating the circumstances of A's entry and exit from the country and the possibility of criminal victimization, and have stated that they are tracking recent incidents of job scams and abductions in Cambodia.

Yonhap News