Ho Chi Minh City police rescue 3 S.Koreans tricked into coming to Vietnam for ‘easy jobs with high pay’

Police announced on Tuesday that they had initiated legal proceedings against and arrested Luo Shenghua, also known as Nam, of Chinese nationality; Vong Quang Tuan, 41, residing in Dong Nai Province; Nguyen Thanh Phuc, 38, from Can Tho City; and Le Van Kieu, 25, from Ca Mau Province on charges of unlawful detention of persons.

On August 19, police in Lai Thieu Ward received information from the South Korean Embassy in Vietnam that three South Korean citizens were being held against their will.

Through professional measures, the Criminal Police Division under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security and Lai Thieu Ward police, in coordination with other relevant units, identified the victims being held at the Emerald Golf View apartment complex.

At 6:00 pm the same day, police officers conducted a check on the apartment and caught two suspects in the act of detaining the three South Koreans inside.

Initial investigations revealed that the victims had been seeking job opportunities via social media in South Korea when they were contacted by an individual promising high-paying jobs in Vietnam.

They were told to send passport photos, and the suspects would handle flight arrangements and pick them up.

Trusting the offer, the victims entered Vietnam on August 14 through Tan Son Nhat International Airport and were initially taken to a hotel in Thuan Giao Ward, then moved to an apartment in Emerald Golf View.

There, Luo and his accomplices demanded the victims either sell their bank accounts or pay 4.5 million won (US$3,225) in order to be returned to South Korea.

Luo hired Tuan, Phuc, and Kieu to monitor the victims at the apartment, offering them daily wages ranging from VND500,000 ($19) to VND1 million ($38) per person.

Police identified Luo as the ringleader who directly orchestrated the confinement, payment demands, and supervision.

Tuan was a key accomplice who recruited and assigned guards, while Phuc and Kieu knowingly participated for personal gain despite being aware of the unlawful acts.

Police in Ho Chi Minh City are continuing to work with law enforcement in other provinces and cities to expand the investigation and uncover the full scope of this foreign trafficking and coercion ring, which employs sophisticated tactics and poses a serious threat to public security.

Authorities also issued a warning to the public to remain cautious about job offers promising 'easy work with high pay' on social media, as these can often be traps set by criminal organizations.