Statement issued by the spokesperson of the Kampot Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Cambodia. Captured from the AKP news agency website.

Local prosecutors investigating the case of a South Korean university student who was tortured and killed in Cambodia last August have indicted three Chinese nationals on murder charges.

According to Cambodia's state-run AKP news agency on the 11th (local time), the Kampot Provincial Prosecutor's Office indicted three Chinese nationals in their 30s and 40s, including a 35-year-old identified as 'A', on charges of murder and fraud the previous day.

They are accused of murdering a South Korean university student in his 20s, identified as 'B', near Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province, Cambodia, last August.

According to the spokesperson for the Kampot Provincial Prosecutor's Office, B was found dead inside a black car at approximately 2:00 a.m. on August 8. Two Chinese suspects who were in the vehicle with him, including A, were arrested immediately.

When discovered by police, B's body showed severe signs of torture, including numerous bruises and lacerations.

Local police also noted the cause of death on the death certificate as "cardiac arrest due to torture."

The area where B was found is known for recurring incidents of employment fraud and kidnapping targeting South Koreans.

Following the discovery, local investigative authorities raided a villa near Bokor Mountain, believed to be the crime scene, and apprehended and detained an additional Chinese accomplice in his 30s.

B had left for Cambodia on July 17 after telling his family he was going to attend a local trade fair, after which his whereabouts became unknown.

It is reported that B's family contacted the South Korean police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after receiving demands for over 50 million won from extortionists speaking with a Chinese-Korean (Joseon-jok) accent, who claimed that "B caused an accident and it needs to be resolved."

However, the Cambodian Ministry of Interior issued a press release on the same day, claiming that media reports stating the bereaved family had requested assistance through the embassy or local police were untrue, asserting that authorities had not received any complaints or information regarding the matter.

The Ministry of Interior added that they are cooperating closely with the South Korean Embassy in Cambodia to ensure that the competent authorities proceed with necessary procedures smoothly and that they are continuing to track down other accomplices.

Yonhap News