What can Korea do to safeguard its citizens in Cambodia?

Amid rising public outrage over a series of abductions and violent crimes targeting Koreans in Cambodia, Seoul is weighing how far it can go to pressure Phnom Penh to ensure the safety of its citizens. President Lee Jae Myung has ordered all government ministries to mobilize “every available resource” after hundreds of Koreans have fallen victim to organized criminal syndicates. This year alone, more than 550 Koreans have gone missing while living or traveling in the region. At the heart of the debate lies one powerful diplomatic tool: official development assistance (ODA). Korea’s ODA to Cambodia exceeds 430 billion won ($302 million) this year, placing Seoul among Phnom Penh’s top donors. While politicians view this aid as an indispensable lever for change, some foreign policy experts warn that weaponizing aid could erode Korea’s influence in Southeast Asia in the long run. During the National Assembly audit of the administration on Tuesday, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Park Beom-gye of the ruling Democratic Party and Kang Min-kuk of the main opposition PeWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times