“The South Korean government is preparing to use military force against Cambodia,” in response to South Korean civilians falling victim to online scams in Cambodia. In fact, the footage is from “the 76th South Korean Armed Forces Day Parade” in 2024 and is entirely unrelated to the situation in Cambodia.
As for the proposal to use military force, it was merely the opinion of a few members of parliament—not an official resolution from the government or executive branch.
At present, South Korea continues to pursue diplomatic measures to assist its citizens in Cambodia.
Thai PBS found the news source on: X
Thai PBS Verify found that a user account on the X platform posted a video clip showing South Korean military vehicles equipped with weapons, along with a caption claiming that “the South Korean government is preparing to use military force against Cambodia.”
The claim refers to recent cases in which South Korean civilians were lured into working in Cambodia and became victims of online crime, as well as the case of a South Korean student who was kidnapped, tortured, and killed.
These incidents prompted the South Korean government and the Korean National Police Agency to announce a special mission aimed at helping citizens return home safely.
A user account on the X platform posted a claim stating:
South Korea tells Thailand: You should do what we’re doing.
The video includes an on-screen caption that reads:
“Breaking! South Korea prepares to use military force against the Khmers—wish Thailand would do the same.”
The clip is accompanied by a news image showing Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, and Lee Eon-joo, a member of parliament from the ruling Democratic Party, with a caption that says:
South Korean MP furious—if the Khmers don’t cooperate, urges government to consider military action!
The video also features a voiceover stating:
The South Korean parliament is now pressuring its own government—if diplomacy doesn’t work, if Cambodia continues to ignore the issue and refuses to return our people, then military action must be taken. It’s time to get tough. This is serious—and Cambodia might be in for a shock if South Korea gets fired up.
After verifying, the clip is from South Korea’s Armed Forces Day parade in 2024
The post also includes a video clip showing military vehicles and equipment moving along a road, used to support the claim that South Korea is preparing to use military force against Cambodia.
When parts of the clip were removed the overlaid text and graphics using the Pixelcut application, and the resulting image was searched using the Google Lens verification tool, it was found to depict the South Korean Armed Forces Day parade, held to commemorate the military’s founding and showcase its capabilities on the occasion of its 76th anniversary (국군의 날 시가행진) on October 1, 2024.
Additionally, upon verifying the news image shown in the clip—featuring Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, and Lee Eon-joo, a member of parliament from the ruling Democratic Party—it was found to be a news report image from Khaosod.
Screenshot shows the image—without overlaid text—found via reverse search, originating from a Facebook post with Khmer-language caption.
The image found on a Cambodian user’s Facebook account was then searched again using Google Lens.
It matched footage showing similar angles, locations, and surroundings to the post claiming that South Korea was preparing to use military force against Cambodia.
Upon reviewing related clips from this TikTok account, multiple videos were found documenting activities from South Korea’s Armed Forces Day parade.
Among them was the original clip, published between October 1–2, 2024, marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the South Korean military.
Original Clip Found: TikTok user posted the video on October 2, 2024
Original Clip
@seoulcalledlife
Comparison of Image: On the left, a key detail visible in the clip is the Korean text on the military vehicle, which reads 공대지유도탄, meaning Air-to-Surface Missile. This matches the same text seen in a frame from the original clip (right).
Comparison of Image: On the left, a key visual clue in the clip is the location—specifically a sushi restaurant named 은행골 초밥&참치 시청점 and a violin school nearby. These landmarks match those seen in a frame from the original clip (right), indicating that both images are from the same event and location.
The parade took place along Sejong-daero, located in Jung-gu District, Seoul, South Korea.
Revisiting South Korean lawmakers’ calls for military action
October 11, 2025 – Lee Eon-joo, a member of parliament from the Democratic Party, posted on her personal Facebook account regarding the consideration of military measures.
She stated that if Cambodian authorities continue to ignore efforts to crack down on online crime or fail to cooperate in assisting South Korean victims in Cambodia, South Korea must seriously consider stronger measures.
Part of her post called on the government and relevant agencies to take decisive action in response to the criminal case involving a South Korean student who died in Cambodia.
She also suggested that Cambodia should be designated a travel-restricted zone. Although three Chinese nationals have already been indicted for murder by Cambodian prosecutors, she emphasized that this should not be the end of the matter.
She urged continued pursuit of justice until death sentences are handed down and enforced, and that all remaining suspects must be arrested.
If current efforts prove insufficient, she called for tougher diplomatic measures.
She described transnational criminal groups in Cambodia as international mafias or akin to terrorists, and proposed seeking cooperation from international organizations, Southeast Asian countries, and the governments of China and Japan to carry out joint operations to dismantle these networks.
If the Cambodian government shows a lack of seriousness in addressing the issue, she reiterated that South Korea must consider decisive measures, including self-defense and military options.
She concluded by saying that the world must see: If crimes or acts of terrorism are committed against Korean citizens, there will be no escape from punishment.
She referenced South Korea’s 2011 dawn operation in the Gulf of Aden, which rescued hostages from Somali pirates, and the U.S. effort in 2016 to rescue an American student detained by North Korea, as examples of firm responses.
Lee Eon-joo, a member of parliament from the Democratic Party, stated on her personal Facebook account on October 11, 2025, that: If the Cambodian government shows a lack of seriousness in addressing this issue, we must consider more decisive measures—such as self-defense, including military options.
October 14, 2025 – A report from Yonhap News stated that Song Eon-seok, leader of the opposition People Power Party, called on President Lee Jae-myung to directly address the situation.
He emphasized that all diplomatic channels must be mobilized, including the establishment of emergency response task forces across the government, the dispatch of special envoys, and direct phone consultations between national leaders to urge the Cambodian government to take concrete action.
A report from The JoongAng quoted Song Eon-seok as saying:
“Our government has a history of rescuing citizens who were kidnapped—such as the Dawn Operation in the Gulf of Aden. We must not place limits on protecting the lives and safety of our people.”
Can a country send military forces abroad to protect its citizens?
General Pongsakorn Rodchompoo, a military–political affairs expert, told Thai PBS Verify that deploying military forces across borders is subject to conditions, regulations, and international agreements—it cannot be done unilaterally.
“In most cases, such situations are handled by sending police officers, as part of international criminal cooperation. We often hear about Interpol and cross-border criminal collaboration, where the host country provides the cooperation.”
So, the question is, is military intervention possible?
The answer is: “Yes, but only under specific conditions,” such as:
- A UN Security Council resolution authorizing military operations
- A direct request for military assistance from the host country
- A bilateral agreement for joint patrols or military operations (e.g., Thailand–Cambodia joint border patrol agreements)
If the UN does not authorize the deployment, sending troops directly would violate the UN Charter.
Historically, such authorizations have been rare—General Pongsakorn cited the Korean War as one example.
Additionally, South Korean security experts and advisors have stated that international military measures are extremely difficult and would constitute a violation of national sovereignty.
According to a report by Seoul Shinmun, Kim Yeol-soo, Director of the Korea Military Institute, said:
Sending military forces into another country is a violation of that country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Um Hyo-sik, Secretary-General of the Korea Defense and Security Forum, added:
Any international operation must be based on mutual agreement. If Cambodia does not consent, it would be considered an act of aggression. Structurally, this makes such operations very difficult.
Timeline of Recent Developments
October 15, 2025 – The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand clarified that the South Korean government is making every diplomatic effort to protect its citizens. However, media claims stating that “South Korea may use military force against cross-border scammers” or “threats to deploy the military against regional scam networks” are not true.
October 16, 2025 – According to Yonhap News, South Korea continues to pursue diplomatic negotiations with Cambodia. Cambodia is preparing to repatriate 59 South Korean nationals who had worked in online scam centers. A South Korean delegation, led by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jin-a, met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Secretary-General of Cambodia’s Anti-Scam Committee in Phnom Penh to discuss cooperation in cracking down on crimes targeting South Koreans and assisting citizens in returning home. This follows the death of a South Korean student in Cambodia in August 2025.
October 17, 2025 – Yonhap reported that 64 South Koreans involved in online scam operations in Cambodia would be repatriated via a chartered flight, scheduled to arrive at Incheon Airport on October 18 at 08:00 AM.
October 18, 2025 – Yonhap confirmed that the 64 South Korean nationals arrived at Incheon Airport as scheduled.
What’s the truth?
The video clip showing South Korean military vehicles and equipment parading through central Seoul, shared on platform X with the claim that “the South Korean government is preparing to use military force against Cambodia,” is not true.
The footage is from “the 76th Armed Forces Day parade,” held on October 1, 2025, and is unrelated to the situation in Cambodia.
As for the idea of military action, it remains only a proposal and opinion expressed by certain members of parliament, not an official resolution from the executive branch.
This aligns with the claim made by the X user, who stated that MPs had suggested military measures. However, using this parade footage to support such claims may lead to public misunderstanding.
The fact is that the South Korean government is currently pursuing diplomatic efforts to assist its citizens in Cambodia. No military measures have been taken.
