South Korea says 19 citizens held captive in Myanmar rescued

A group of 19 South Koreans have been rescued in Myanmar after being held captive at an unspecified illegal company in the Southeast Asian country, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry said it had sought the help of authorities in military ruled Myanmar after receiving a report last month that some of its nationals had been locked up in Tachileik in Shan state, near the border with Thailand.

“Myanmar police raided the company in late October and secured custody of 19 of our citizens,” the ministry said in a statement, adding they were safely transferred to Yangon on Monday.

The ministry declined to elaborate on the nature of the operations at the company or identify the group, but said it was working closely with Myanmar officials to help its citizens and prevent any crimes.

A spokesperson for Myanmar's junta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

South Korean broadcaster KBS reported that the group had been lured by the company's promise of high profits.

Some border towns in Southeast Asia have emerged as the centre of cyber scam operations including fake romance ploys, illegal casinos and investment pyramid schemes.

In August, a UN report said that hundreds of thousands of people were being trafficked by criminal gangs and forced to work in scam centres and other illegal online operations that have sprang up across Southeast Asia in recent years.

Reuters