South Korea bans travel to parts of Cambodia after citizens tortured

South Korea on Wednesday issued a travel ban on some parts of Cambodia after its nationals faced torture by criminal groups, Yonhap news reported.

The Foreign Ministry said it imposed a Level 4 travel ban, the highest in the four-scale travel warning system, on Cambodia's Bokor Mountain region in Kampot province and in the cities of Bavet and Poipet.

The ministry also issued a travel warning to South Korean citizens in Cambodia's Sihanoukville province, advising them to leave the region due to concerns about the high concentration of criminals in the area.

Seoul's latest move follows reports of South Koreans being kidnapped and detained in Cambodia after falling victim to job scams.

In August, a university student was found dead near Bokor Mountain in Kampot province after being tortured by criminals.

Cambodia has detained three Chinese men on charges of murder and online fraud in connection with the kidnapping, torture, and death of Park Min-ho, 22, in August.

Separately, a South Korean woman was found dead on Oct. 7 in Vietnam near Cambodia border, local police said according to Yonhap news.

The body of the deceased woman reportedly underwent an autopsy before being referred to her family members for cremation. South Korean police also launched an investigation in to the case.

South Korea's presidential office announced on Tuesday that it will send a joint response team to Cambodia to combat crimes against South Koreans in the wake of Park's case.

Separately, a Foreign Ministry official said that as of Tuesday, around 80 South Koreans linked to job scams in Cambodia were missing or whose safety could not be confirmed.