The forensic report from the National Forensic Service (NFS) of South Korea, released by the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency on 16/11, concluded that the 22-year-old victim died from traumatic shock. The report noted injuries caused by blunt objects, consistent with prolonged physical beating and torture.
The victim, Park Min-ho, a university student from South Korea, was found dead in a car near Bokor Mountain, Kampot province, Cambodia, on 8/8. This discovery occurred nearly three weeks after he left South Korea. Park had informed his family he was traveling to Cambodia for a short exhibition. Cambodian police, who discovered the body, noted signs of torture on the victim, including bruises and wounds, at that time.
The autopsy results found no drugs in the victim's body, despite earlier suspicions that he might have died from substance abuse. However, experts noted that if the victim had used a small amount or if the last use was long ago, traces could disappear by the time of testing. This explanation followed the emergence of a video reportedly showing Park being forced to use drugs, fueling much speculation.
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Three Chinese suspects in the case of the South Korean student kidnapped and tortured to death. *Yonhap*. |
A joint task force of South Korean and Cambodian experts conducted an autopsy at a morgue in Phnom Penh on 20/10. According to the NFS report, there was no evidence that the victim was stabbed, had organs removed, or was mutilated, contrary to rumors circulating on South Korean social media. Forensic experts completed toxicology and tissue tests in South Korea before issuing the final report on the cause of death.
Three Chinese nationals have been charged in Cambodia in connection with Park's death. They were arrested on 10/10, but two main suspects, including a Chinese national of Korean descent named Li, remain at large. South Korean investigators stated they are actively searching for and pursuing the remaining suspects.
The murder case has prompted a series of decisive measures from President Lee Jae-myung's administration concerning relations with Cambodia and the human trafficking crisis in Southeast Asia.
South Korean police recorded 330 cases of citizens kidnapped abroad in the first eight months of 2025, an increase from 220 cases in all of 2024. Many of these cases are linked to criminal networks operating online scam operations in Cambodia and neighboring countries.
Hong Hanh (According to Korea Herald)
