Regional K&R Developments - Southeast Asia - September 2025

September 2025 saw a marked surge in kidnappings in Cambodia, targeting South Korean and Chinese nationals. As a result, South Korea issued a travel warning. All other countries in the region witnessed common incident patterns related to kidnapping.

Cambodia

Rescue of South Korean Kidnap Victim – On 01 September 2025, South Korean broadcaster MBC reported that a woman in her 20s was recently rescued after being confined in Cambodia, where she said at least 13 more South Koreans remain locked in the same compound. She had been lured by a fraudulent job offer, abducted upon arrival after meeting a Korean-speaking Cambodian man at the airport, and subsequently robbed of 18 million won (approximately USD 12,500). The victim was beaten and tortured for several days until she could barely walk. She described rooms where rows of presumed South Koreans were forced face down in front of computers, identified only by numbers and forbidden from sharing their names.

Seoul Raises Cambodia Travel Alert – On 16 September 2025, the South Korean government raised its travel advisory for Cambodia following a surge in employment fraud, detention, and mistreatment of South Korean nationals at scam compounds. Phnom Penh is now under a Level 2 alert (exercise caution), while Sihanoukville Province, Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province, and Bavet City near the Vietnam border are under a special advisory (Level 2.5). Citizens are urged to cancel or postpone travel, and those in affected areas are advised to relocate to safer locations. The advisory is effective for 90 days with possible extensions. In parallel, on 24 September 2025, the Korean National Police Agency dispatched an additional cooperation officer to the embassy in Phnom Penh, increasing its deployment to three officers, amid sharply rising cases of kidnapping and unlawful confinement. Official figures recorded 10 to 20 victims between 2022 and 2023, increasing to 221 in 2024, with 212 more cases reported in the first half of 2025 alone.

Chinese Traffickers Arrested – On 17 September 2025 at 1am, residents reported a Chinese national being kidnapped in front of the Diamond Casino in Sihanouk City, by unidentified Chinese suspects. Following a joint investigation, seven Chinese nationals were arrested on 18 September 2025. After questioning, authorities confirmed that four suspects were responsible for kidnapping and human trafficking, while the remaining three were victims of targeted human trafficking. All suspects were transferred to Preah Sihanouk Provincial Police Headquarters for further investigation.

Korean Man Abducted in Phnom Penh – On 23 September 2025, Phnom Penh police arrested four Chinese nationals and one Cambodian suspected of kidnapping and torturing a 51-year-old South Korean man in downtown Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The victim was held and assaulted in a targeted attack before being rescued.

Chinese Woman Rescued in Phnom Penh – On 30 September 2025, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court charged two Chinese nationals along with two Cambodianswith kidnapping, unlawful confinement, rape, and extortion following the abduction of a 33-year-old Chinese woman. The suspects, linked to a Chinese-owned casino in Bavet City, Svay Rieng province, demanded a ransom of USD 100,000. The victim was abducted, transported to Phnom Penh, and confined in a rented flat, where she alleged she was raped during captivity. Authorities from Svay Rieng Provincial Police and Phnom Penh Municipal Police coordinated the rescue and safely returned the victim to her family. Police seized a pistol, cartridges, handcuffs, an electric stick, a car, six mobile phones, and a Chinese passport.

Myanmar

Journalist Abducted in Rakhine State – On 20 September 2025, female journalist Mudra of the Border News Agency was abducted from her residence in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar, by the Intelligence Unit of the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA). She is being held and interrogated at a ULA/AA intelligence office. Border News Agency confirmed her detention in a statement on 22 September, appealing for her safe release on humanitarian grounds and in respect of international law. Mudra is known for reporting on human rights abuses and the ongoing conflict in Rakhine, including forced recruitment and abductions. No ransom has been reported.

Philippines

Elderly Businesswoman Rescued in Manila – On 2 September 2025, a 78-year-old Filipino-Chinese businesswoman from a prominent industrial family was abducted in Quezon City and held for nine days in a house in Laurel, Batangas. Her captors demanded a ransom of PHP 150 million (approximately USD 2.6 million). On 11 September, three suspects brought her to a bank in Quezon City and forced her to attempt a withdrawal of PHP 8.1 million (around USD 140,000). Alerted staff contacted police, who arrived within two minutes, arrested the suspects, and rescued the victim unharmed. Follow-up operations within 12 hours led to the arrest of eight more conspirators in Batangas and Cavite, bringing the total to 11 suspects, including three former soldiers and one former employee of the victim.

Two South Koreans Abducted in Pampanga – On 03 September 2025, two South Korean nationals were abducted from a convenience store at the Clark Freeport, by three suspects including an alleged Army soldier. The victims were taken to a house inside the freeport where they were beaten while the suspects attempted to extort money. After failing to obtain payment, the kidnappers abandoned the victims. Pursuit operations by police led to the arrest of the suspects, who were found in possession of three pistols.

Seven Manila Police Officers Accused of Kidnap – On 09 September 2025, two men were abducted by seven plainclothes officers of the Manila Police District Drug Enforcement Unit in Sampaloc, Manila. The victims were accused of drug activity, and robbed of personal belongings. They were threatened and driven around Marikina and Rizal before one of the suspects managed to escape the following day. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno ordered the immediate relief of the officers, who face charges of kidnapping, grave misconduct, and grave irregularity in the performance of duty.

Thailand

Thai Immigration Denies Trafficking Links – On 20 September 2025, Thailand’s Immigration Bureau rejected allegations from a Reuters investigation that officials facilitated the trafficking of foreign nationals to scam centres in Myanmar. The report, Scammed into Scamming, cited nine victims from Africa and Asia, six of whom claimed they were escorted through Bangkok’s international airports by individuals appearing to be immigration officials before being transported to KK Park in Myawaddy. The Kenyan ambassador, who has assisted in rescuing hundreds of citizens, confirmed similar accounts. Thai officials criticised the report’s portrayal, likening it to previous foreign media coverage, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it stood ready to examine any credible evidence.

Vietnam

Student Targeted in Online Kidnap Scam – On 15 August 2025, Da Nang police rescued a 19-year-old female student after a scammer staged an “online kidnapping” and demanded 400 million VND (approx. USD 15,700) from her family, threatening to take her to Cambodia if payment was not made. The suspect had earlier manipulated her through fake scholarship offers and stolen sensitive data, then coerced her into isolating herself in a rented motel room while maintaining control through video calls. Using the victim’s Zalo account, the scammer contacted her relatives to demand ransom. A large police operation located her unharmed the same evening. The case followed a similar incident on 14 August when an 18-year-old student was lured to a motel under threats of arrest for fabricated drug and money-laundering charges. In that case, scammers posed as police and pressured the victim’s family to transfer 500 million VND (approx. USD 19,600).

Chinese Gamblers Abducted – On 20 September 2025, police in Quang Nam Province, rescued two Chinese nationals, who had been kidnapped and assaulted by compatriots after failing to repay hundreds of thousands of yuan in gambling debts at the Hoiana Casino. The men were forced to sign debt papers, beaten, and threatened with death unless their families transferred money. On 12 September, a friend reported seeing Wang forced into a car outside the casino, enabling investigators from Da Nang to track the victims to the Hoi An D’or apartment complex. A coordinated raid freed the hostages and led to the arrest of five suspects, including a 46-year-old Chinese national and four Vietnamese accomplices.

The information provided in this product has been gathered through open-source and AI research. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Fortis Advisory cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Users are encouraged to verify the information independently.