Cambodia Condemns ‘Scambodia’ Label in Wall Street Journal Report

PHNOM PENH, April 21, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has condemned the use of the term “Scambodia” in a Wall Street Journal article, calling it insulting and potentially discriminatory.

Spokesman Tep Asnarith said the wording, used in a report on cybercrime, damaged the country’s dignity and unfairly linked Cambodia to global criminal activity.

The article, titled “How Cybercrime Became a Leading Industry in ‘Scambodia’”, replaced the country’s official name with the derogatory term, drawing criticism from officials and members of the public.

Asnarith told local media that associating a sovereign state’s name with crime risked encouraging prejudice.

“A country’s name represents its identity and national pride. Such wording undermines the dignity of its people on the international stage,” he said.

The spokesperson also criticised what he described as “unprofessional conduct”, saying journalism should prioritise facts and analysis over attention-grabbing language.

He urged media outlets to avoid derogatory language and focus on evidence based reporting, warning that sensational terms could fuel harmful narratives and divisions.

The comments come as Cambodia intensifies efforts to combat cybercrime, citing nationwide crackdowns, strengthened law enforcement and new legal measures to dismantle scam networks.