Exiled Cambodian activist Mu Sochua calls for greater int'l cooperation regarding scam centers
Published: 27 Mar. 2026, 07:00
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- CHO JUNG-WOO
- [email protected]
![Mu Sochua, president of Khmer Movement for Democracy [MU SOCHUA]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/27/ed91c4c9-157c-4c28-a27e-0a550a516792.jpg)
Mu Sochua, president of Khmer Movement for Democracy [MU SOCHUA]
[INTERVIEW]
Mu Sochua, an exiled Cambodian opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, called for greater international cooperation, including from Korea, in addressing human rights abuses linked to scam centers in Cambodia.
“It is not enough just to take out the victims because the root of the problem is not dealt with,” Mu said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily during a visit to Seoul on Tuesday.
Her remarks come months after a case that drew national attention in Korea. In August 2025, a 22-year-old Korean university student, surnamed Park, was found dead in Cambodia after being lured abroad with the promise of a job. Authorities said he had been held at a scam compound. His remains were returned to Korea in October of that year, following an autopsy.
The case prompted public outrage and a strong response from Seoul, including travel advisories for parts of Cambodia and a government-led investigation.
Mu visited Korea as part of the Khmer Movement for Democracy (KMD), a global coalition advocating democratic reform in Cambodia that she initiated in December 2023.
While expressing her gratitude to Seoul, Mu emphasized that more action is needed.
“I send my gratitude [...] to your President Lee Jae Myung for being the only country whose leader has taken this situation very seriously,” she said. “We really respect the measures taken by the government of Korea.”
She also warned of the scale and severity of the crimes taking place at scam centers in Cambodia.
“We are talking about torture. We are talking about drug trafficking. And for women, we are talking about forced abortions,” she said.
Mu is a former member of the Cambodian parliament and vice president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party. She has long advocated for women’s rights and democracy in Southeast Asia, a path shaped in part by the loss of her parents during the Cambodian genocide.
She became the first woman to serve as the Cambodian minister of what was then the ministry of women and veterans’ affairs and has received international recognition for her work, including a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2005. She was elected to office three times before going into exile in 2017 on threats of arrest on treason charges. She is now based in the United States, where she leads the KMD.
According to Amnesty International, more than 50 scam compounds have been identified across Cambodia, where thousands of trafficking victims are believed to be held and forced to commit online fraud. Estimates from the United Nations suggest that tens of thousands of people may be involved in such operations across Southeast Asia.
![The remains of 22-year-old Park, who was tortured and killed in Cambodia in August 2025, return to Korea two months later on Oct. 21 at Incheon International Airport. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/27/1f4d1655-e9f6-4b48-889e-cd5e4330889c.jpg)
The remains of 22-year-old Park, who was tortured and killed in Cambodia in August 2025, return to Korea two months later on Oct. 21 at Incheon International Airport. [NEWS1]
Korean authorities say more than 1,000 Koreans are believed to be connected to scam operations in Cambodia, though it is unclear how many are victims.
Korean victims have lost tens of millions of dollars to such schemes, according to police investigations.
Mu placed responsibility on Cambodia’s leadership, criticizing the government of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who took office in 2023, succeeding his father, Hun Sen.
She described Cambodia as an “epicenter” of global scam operations and called the system “state-sponsored crime,” pointing to ties between business and political elites. She cited the case of Chen Zhi, a Chinese-born tycoon and chairman of the Prince Group, who has held advisory roles to Cambodia’s leadership. U.S. prosecutors said that companies under his group operated internationally under the guise of legitimate businesses.
The Cambodian government has denied wrongdoing. In a recent interview with AFP, the Cambodian prime minister said he was unaware of Chen Zhi being the kingpin.
Facing growing international scrutiny and reputational damage, Cambodia has pledged to shut down scam centers by the end of April. But Mu said the response has fallen short, with some rescued victims left stranded and seeking help outside embassies.
"It's not the end until governments work together, especially in the region, to pressure Hun Sen to meet our demands," she said.
![A building suspected of housing a scam center stands in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Oct. 14, 2025. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/27/178ffd02-6a6b-4193-8b76-99bc803aa5af.jpg)
A building suspected of housing a scam center stands in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, on Oct. 14, 2025. [YONHAP]
Before arriving in Seoul, Mu traveled to Gwangju, where she met Cambodian migrant workers and held a public forum that drew about 300 participants.
This year’s forum focused on territorial integrity in relation to the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, as well as cybercrime, with participation from diaspora members.
![Mu Sochua speaks in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily in central Seoul on March 24. [CHO JUNG-WOO]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/27/3206cf16-5be9-4385-812a-2ef70dfd3cdf.jpg)
Mu Sochua speaks in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily in central Seoul on March 24. [CHO JUNG-WOO]
She said Korea’s democratic history, particularly the legacy of Gwangju, continues to serve as a powerful source of inspiration. She has visited the region annually to host public forums and train leaders as part of the organization’s work.
“The whole mission is to build unity,” she said, noting that more than one million Cambodians live abroad.
“Cambodia used to be the pearl of Asia. Our youth deserve a better future.”
BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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