Phnom penh: The main suspect behind the torture and killing of a South Korean college student allegedly involved in online scams in Cambodia has been arrested, Seoul's spy agency announced Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that a Chinese national named Li Guanghao was apprehended along with three other Chinese nationals and five South Koreans in Phnom Penh. This arrest was made possible through collaboration with Cambodian police.
Li is accused of torturing and murdering the 22-year-old student, surnamed Park, near Bokor Mountain. This area is known for employment scams and detentions targeting South Koreans. The NIS had identified Li as the individual who demanded money from Park's family and had been tracking him since.
Despite these accusations, Li was arrested on charges unrelated to Park's murder. He was detained after dining with a group of South Koreans suspected of money laundering. Cambodian authorities are now investigating Li, with legal proceedings expected to take place in Cambodia.
Li is also implicated in a drug case involving students in Seoul's Gangnam district in 2023. An Interpol Red Notice was issued for him following an attempt to smuggle 4 kilograms of drugs into South Korea in January last year.
The NIS has expressed its commitment to tracking the remaining suspects linked to Park's death in collaboration with the police. The Korean Embassy in Cambodia was informed of the arrest and is considering the possibility of repatriating the suspect to South Korea.
Park had traveled to Cambodia on July 17, claiming he was attending an exhibition. He was found dead inside a car on August 8, showing signs of torture. Three Chinese nationals involved in the crime were indicted last month by a Cambodian court on charges including murder and fraud.
The case has sparked public outrage in South Korea, leading the government to send a delegation to Cambodia and establish a joint task force to combat online scams and other crimes against its citizens.