Two South Korean men who reported to their consulate claiming that they had been abducted were actually fabricating the story to shirk responsibility for paying the salaries of their employees at a casino in Pailin province, according to deputy provincial police chief Sanh Nam.
Nam said that after the God of Wealth Casino employees protested for payment of their two years of unpaid wages, the pair phoned the consulate in Siem Reap province claiming that an unspecified ransom had been demanded for their safe return.
Nam said the consulate then reported to the Pailin provincial police on June 20 that Goo Mincheol, 35, a lotto manager, and 45-year-old Kim Hyojoong, an IT manager, had been kidnapped, and asked them to intervene.
“We were surprised to discover that the men had fabricated the kidnapping to escape responsibility for paying their employees’ salaries – and the casino [building] rental fees,” he said.
He added that when the police received the consulate’s complaint, his forces visited the casino in Sala Krao district’s Stung Kach commune to investigate the claims and discovered that the men had failed to pay the wages of 12 female Cambodian employees, as well as two month’s rent.
“The two Korean men said they were representatives of a 50-year-old Thai woman named Rassmee Sripupa, who is the owner of the casino. She lives in Thailand,” Nam said.
He added that having determined the facts of the case, the police instructed the men to immediately stop providing false testimony as it affected the honour of the Cambodian police, who maintain security and provide safety to the people, as well as international visitors who are living and working in Cambodia.
The men admitted their mistake and asked police for their forgiveness. They cooperated with the officers and called the Thai owner, asking her to return and pay the outstanding debts.
“Following the conversation, the owner promised to come to Cambodia this weekend and pay her employees and the overdue rent,” said Nam.
