Police help homeless Cambodian woman return home

“On behalf of our people, I extend my sincere gratitude for your dedication in protecting and supporting a citizen in extreme hardship.”

Kuon Phorn Rattanak made the remarks April 12 as he presented letters of appreciation to officers from the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency during a Choul Chnam Thmey celebration in Changwon.

The recognition followed a recent case in which police helped a Cambodian woman who had been living on the streets for an extended period safely return to her family.

According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency on April 13, the woman, in her 40s, had been homeless for about 18 months in a foreign resident district of Gimhae before being placed under police protection and repatriated.

She had been living near Dongsang Market since October 2024. Local merchants alerted authorities, expressing concern about a foreign woman living on the streets for a prolonged period. Police then coordinated with relevant agencies to provide assistance.

Authorities said the woman had originally settled in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, as a marriage migrant. After divorcing her South Korean husband about a decade ago, she lost stable housing and income and later moved to Gimhae. The area, home to many small factories, has a large foreign workforce, and she is believed to have lived there alongside other homeless migrants.

After receiving the report, police formed a dedicated support team under the direction of Gyeongnam Provincial Police Commissioner Kim Jong-cheol and began assistance efforts last month in coordination with related institutions.

Earlier this month, the woman was admitted to a hospital in Changwon for emergency care, where her condition was assessed. After confirming her wish to return home, police worked with the Cambodian Embassy to arrange administrative support, including the issuance of an emergency visa.

Private groups also contributed. The International Cooperation Policy Advisory Council under the Gyeongnam police provided 1 million won to cover airfare and basic expenses, while the Gyeongnam Migrant Center helped reconnect her with family in Cambodia. Officers accompanied her to Incheon International Airport, and she safely returned home on April 7, where she was reunited with her family.

Her family later expressed gratitude through a migrant support group, saying they had known about her situation but had been unable to bring her home.

Song Ju-eun, a senior officer involved in the case, said the experience was one of the most meaningful moments of her career. She recalled that the team provided the woman with new clothes and travel funds before departure and later learned that she had kept the money close for several days after returning home.


김해=도영진 기자 0jin2@donga.com