South Korea lowers travel advisory for Cambodia.

Tourists walk with a guide outside the Royal Palace of Cambodia in March 2020. Photo: Reuters .

On December 4, the South Korean government announced a reduction in the travel advisory level for several areas in Cambodia, including the capital Phnom Penh, after assessing that the risk of online scams targeting South Korean citizens had decreased thanks to Cambodia's strong crackdown campaign and coordination with Seoul, Yonhap reported.

According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the "special travel advisory" previously applied to Phnom Penh, which urged citizens to leave the area quickly, has been downgraded to Level 2, meaning people are advised to limit non-essential travel.

Localities that were previously classified as Level 2, including the tourist province of Siem Reap, have now been downgraded to Level 1. At this level, authorities require people to continue to exercise caution when traveling but do not recommend a complete halt to travel.

The decision to adjust the alert takes effect from 4 PM on December 4th.

Cambodia brother 1

South Korean tourists explore Siem Reap, February 2023. Photo: Khmer Times.

However, the travel ban remains in place for the Bokor mountain area in Kampot province, along with the cities of Bavet and Poipet – hotspots for online scams. Areas currently under a stay-at-home order, including Sihanoukville, are also not included in this easing of restrictions.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry said the review of the alert level was made in light of an improvement in the situation regarding online scams targeting South Korean citizens in Cambodia, particularly in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, following stricter controls by Cambodian authorities and coordination between the two governments.

Earlier in mid-October, South Korea announced travel bans and raised travel advisories for several cities and regions in Cambodia following a surge in online scams, culminating in the torture-induced death of a South Korean university student in August.

Following bilateral consultations, the two countries agreed to establish a specialized police unit to handle online crimes involving South Korean citizens in Cambodia, which officially began operations at the beginning of last month.

Source: https://znews.vn/han-quoc-ha-canh-bao-du-lich-den-campuchia-post1608750.html