The escape video of 42-year-old Kim Min-hyeok, who went missing in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, has been released on local social media, causing shock. We've compiled a summary of the recent surge in kidnapping and detention cases, the reality of scam buildings, and the significance of the rescue request video.

 

Have you seen the video of a Korean escaping from Cambodia that's been circulating in online communities lately?
The person in the video is believed to be 42-year-old Kim Min-hyeok, and it was uploaded to a local social media site in Sihanoukville, Cambodia on October 22.

 

 

Many people were shocked by the frightened expression and the look of hesitation that was so pitiful that they could not help but look around.

 

1. Where was the video taken?

The place where the video was uploaded is Sihanoukville, Cambodia, which is frequently featured in the news these days.

 

The area is already notorious for being a 'scam building'.
In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in cases of foreigners, including Koreans, being lured to local areas and kidnapped, imprisoned, and forced to work.

 

In the video, Kim Min-hyeok He is appealing for help with a look in his eyes that seems to say, “Please help me.”
A post was also posted on the community asking for family or friends to contact the person if they see the video.

2. How serious is the kidnapping and detention incident in Cambodia?

According to an announcement from the Cambodian Embassy,
It is said that in the past two years, as many as 550 reports of kidnapping and confinement have been received.

 

Of these, 450 have been resolved, but 100 remain unresolved.

 

In particular, it is said that the number has already skyrocketed from less than 20 cases in 2023 → 220 cases in 2024 → 330 cases by August 2025.
Just looking at these numbers, you can see how dangerous the situation in Cambodia is.

3. What is a scam building?

A 'scam building' is literally an illegal building complex for online fraud.

 

Dozens or hundreds of people are trapped inside the building and forced to carry out 'romance scams' or 'investment frauds'.
In particular, there are many cases where Chinese organizations are behind it.
There are persistent suspicions of collusion with local Cambodian police and officials.

 

According to those who were rescued, they were made to work for more than 10 hours, from 5 AM to 3 PM, deceiving the victims.
If you disobey the instructions, you will be punished with things like being beaten with clubs or being denied food.
It is literally a “digital prison.”

4. The story of three recently rescued Korean youths

On the night of October 17th, in room 1313 of a high-rise hotel in Phnom Penh,
There was also an incident where three young Korean men were rescued.

 

These people were also deceived into entering the country by the promise that they would receive 5 million won per month if they worked part-time as a maintenance worker for filming equipment.
Eventually, he was dragged into a romance scam organization and imprisoned.

 

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Byung-joo personally went to the site and requested a police raid.
Fortunately, all three people were rescued safely.
But… what’s even scarier is that this kind of structure was only possible in a very small number of cases.

5. Response from the Cambodian Embassy and Political Circles

As soon as this incident became known, the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee also requested an emergency response.
Criticism continued, saying, “The embassy’s response is too slow,” and “The local police cannot be trusted.”
There are growing calls for strengthened government-level protection of overseas Koreans. .

 

 

6. The significance of the 'Kim Min-hyuk escape video' released online

 

The reason why this video is not just a 'social media trending video' is because,

Because it could potentially provide clues to the families of missing people.

The time of upload (October 22), location (Sihanoukville), and identity of the person all match.
Online communities and the media are reporting on this as a 'victim attempting to escape in real life.'

 

The current video is the original uploaded by a local account.
It has been reported that confirmation by the embassy and police is in progress.

 

 

Q&A

 

Q1. Do ‘scam buildings’ actually exist?
Yes, it's a real crime ring confirmed in several Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos.
They disguise themselves as hotels and resorts, kidnap foreigners, and force them to commit online fraud.

 

Q2. Is the video of Kim Min-hyuk real?
It has been confirmed that the video was actually uploaded to a local Sihanoukville account.
However, official confirmation at the government level is still in progress.

 

Q3. Why does this keep happening?
Collusion between local police and criminal organizations, slow administrative procedures, and economic imbalances are all contributing factors.
Also, the offer of 'high-paying part-time jobs' that exploits the employment crisis is a major incentive.

 

Q4. How can I avoid being scammed like this?
If you receive an offer for a "high-paying part-time job abroad" on social media or a job search site, never respond.
In particular, phrases like “no visa required,” “local accommodation provided,” and “part-time equipment maintenance job” should be 100% suspicious.

 

 

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