Wi Seong-rak:"All 60 people detained by investigative authorities will be summoned... All suspects are subject to arrest."
"Adequate police personnel will be on board the chartered flight departing Incheon this evening."
Arrest warrants issued the moment you board a plane… Create a 'Korean Desk' to continue crackdowns.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Lim Hyeong-seop and Seol Seung-eun = National Security Office Director Wi Sung-rak announced on the 17th that Koreans detained by Cambodian authorities are expected to depart from Phnom Penh to Incheon on a chartered plane sent by our government at around 2:00 a.m. on the 18th (Korean time, midnight on the 18th local time).
At a press conference held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the same day, Director Wi said,"I spoke with the government response team on the scene and was briefed on the current situation," and added,"It is difficult to say anything definitive yet because we cannot completely rule out variables, but consultations with the Cambodian side are progressing smoothly."
The number of people being repatriated is around 60, all of whom were detained by Cambodian authorities, a slight increase from the 59 people previously known.
In particular, he said,"Most of the repatriates are suspects with criminal charges against whom arrest warrants have been issued by the Korean government, and some are subject to Interpol's (International Criminal Police Organization) red notices," adding,"As far as I know, all of them are subject to arrest."
He explained,"He will be escorted through appropriate legal procedures," and "the Korean government's arrest warrant will be applied from the moment he boards the plane."
A sufficient number of Korean police officers are expected to board the chartered flight departing from Incheon this evening to repatriate them.
"We understand that there are far more escorts on board than there are criminal suspects," the chief added.
Meanwhile, in preparation for this convoy, the joint government response team met with the Cambodian Prime Minister, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of the Interior to seek their cooperation.
Also, former Ambassador to Lebanon Park Il, who is the head of the Cambodian Job Fraud and Detention Victims Response Task Force (TF), has arrived in Cambodia and begun operations, and he plans to continue to lead the response to detention victims in Cambodia.
In addition, Director Wi said that an official document was sent to each country's overseas missions, instructing them to conduct a comprehensive investigation into similar cases in their host countries and identify risk factors in advance.
Director Wi emphasized,"In addition to those being escorted this time, what to do with criminals still in the area is an important task," and "It is suspected that they are conducting voice phishing targeting Koreans, and we must continue to resolve this issue."
He continued,"We need to establish a Korean Desk (a police officer dedicated to handling Korean-American cases) and continue crackdowns and arrests. If more people are arrested, we may be able to send chartered planes like we are doing now."
