Seoul: South Korea announced Thursday it is imposing independent sanctions on 15 individuals and more than a hundred entities over their illicit involvement in transnational crimes in Southeast Asia, primarily online scams that have targeted South Korean nationals.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the sanctions’ designations are part of Seoul’s efforts to tackle the sprawling organized crimes in the region, following the death of a South Korean college student who was tortured by an online job-scam ring in Cambodia, which sent shock waves across the country and prompted the government to address the issue.

It marks the first time South Korea has imposed sanctions over transnational crimes in Southeast Asia. Subject to the sanctions are criminal organizations involved in voice phishing and other online scams, as well as their members, including those affiliated with Prince Group and Huione Group, the foreign ministry said in a release.

Prince Group is known to be behind the illicit online scam rings operating in the Prince Complex and the Mango Complex in Cambodia, where many South Koreans have been lured with the promise of high-paying jobs. Huione Group operates a widely used online payment platform used as a key tool by online scam rings for money laundering.

“The government has been making all-out and comprehensive efforts to respond to transnational crimes that pose serious threats to the lives and property of our citizens,” the ministry said. “We have stepped up efforts to eradicate transnational crimes and are consulting with other countries on the issues. The independent sanctions announced today are an extension of these efforts,” it said.

South Korea has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China to cooperate on countering voice phishing and online fraud during the summit talks between President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month. Many online scam rings in Southeast Asia are believed to be operated by, or linked to, Chinese nationals or Chinese-run businesses.

South Korea has also signed an MOU with Cambodia to create a task force within the Cambodian police to combat similar crimes targeting South Koreans and to better protect its citizens.