South Korea lowers travel alerts for parts of Cambodia, with some cities excepted

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that it would lower travel alert levels for some areas of Cambodia, where a series of serious cases involving the kidnapping and confinement of South Korean citizens had previously occurred. Yonhap reported last night that the alert for Siem Reap, a tourist city visited by many South Koreans, had been lowered from the second-lowest tier, described as “travel discouraged,” to “travel with caution.” Phnom Penh, the capital, which had been subject to a special travel advisory, was lowered to “travel discouraged.” Some Cambodian cities, however, remain under the highest alert, level 4, “travel prohibited”: Bavet in the east and Poipet in the northwest. The existing level 3 “departure recommended” alert for Sihanoukville in the south will also remain in place. South Korea's Foreign Ministry said the adjustment reflected stronger cooperation between the two countries, including Cambodian government crackdowns and the South Korean government's establishment of a “Korea task force.” This had reduced the number of reports involving scam crimes based in Cambodia and improved actual conditions in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, it said. The ministry warned that reports of scam-related victims continued to be received from areas under travel alerts of level 3 or higher, and urged particular caution. It also warned that people who accepted jobs promising high incomes and travelled to Cambodia were highly likely to become involved in criminal activities.