Vietnamese police arrest 3 S.Koreans wanted by Interpol over Cambodia scam ring

On Thursday evening, Da Nang police, working with the Ministry of Public Security’s Department of External Relations, handed over the three wanted suspects to South Korean authorities for escort back to their home country.

The suspects were identified as Choi Minsu, 26, Choi Jinwoo, 25, and Seo Jaeseok, 28.

They are the subjects of Interpol red notices issued at South Korea’s request on charges of fraud, participation in a criminal organization, and human trafficking.

In mid-October 2025, after receiving information that the group had fled Cambodia and was hiding in Da Nang, the city’s Immigration Management Office launched an investigation and identified the suspects at a hotel in An Hai Ward.

The unit then coordinated with the mobile police force and An Hai police to carry out the arrest.

During questioning, the suspects admitted they were the individuals sought by Interpol in connection with the Cambodia scam operations.

South Korean authorities said the three men operated an online romance scam network based at the Bavet complex in Cambodia near the Vietnamese border.

Using deepfake technology, they allegedly impersonated women to approach male victims online and build trust.

After establishing communication, the suspects enticed victims to join what they called paid travel missions, promising to cover accommodation and airfares and to reimburse all expenses after the tasks were completed.

Once victims arrived in Vietnam or Thailand, the group continued to pressure them to cross into Cambodia.

There, victims reportedly had their passports confiscated, were detained, and were forced to memorize scripted content to carry out online fraud.

The network is estimated to have defrauded victims of about US$1 million from August to December 2024.