Jan. 23 (Asia Today) -- South Korean police took 73 nationals into custody Friday after they were forcibly repatriated from Cambodia on a chartered flight over alleged involvement in large-scale online scams and other crimes.
Korean Air flight KE9690 departed Phnom Penh and landed at Incheon International Airport at about 9:41 a.m., according to officials. It was South Korea's fourth group repatriation of criminal suspects by charter flight and the largest return from a single country.
Authorities said arrest warrants had already been issued and were executed as the suspects boarded the aircraft. Under South Korea's Nationality Act, the interior of a national carrier is treated as Korean territory for legal purposes, allowing warrants to be served during the flight process.
The suspects were then escorted from the airport to police units in multiple jurisdictions for questioning and further investigation.
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