진행자: 최정윤, Chelsea Proctor

'Pig-butchering' takes hold in Korea

기사 요약: 캄보디아 사건을 계기로 새로운 로맨스 스캠 기법 "돼지 도살," 과거 스캠 방식보다 더 정교하고 피해 규모 커져

[1] South Korea is facing a surge in romance scams that are increasingly intertwined with cryptocurrency investment fraud, costing victims more than 100 billion won ($70 million) so far this year, while the arrest rate remains below 50 percent.

intertwine: 뒤얽히다, 밀접하게 관련되다

fraud: 사기

[2] According to data submitted to Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Han Byung-do by the National Police Agency, there were 1,565 reported cases of romance scams from January to September this year, with total losses rising 48 percent from 2024. Despite the increase, suspects have been apprehended in only 46.9 percent of cases, which is up from 12.7 percent in 2024.

apprehend: 체포하다

[3] Romance scams, which exploit emotional relationships built online, have become more elaborate by combining fake cryptocurrency investments and “pig-butchering” tactics — a method where fraudsters “fatten up” their victims with false affection and small initial profits before “butchering” them with large-scale financial losses.

exploit: 이용하다, 착취하다

elaborate: 정교한, 복잡한 v.설명하다

pig-butchering: 돼지 도살

fatten up: 대상을 살찌우다

[4] Criminals contact victims through social media or dating apps, maintain daily conversations to build intimacy and then introduce investment platforms that display fabricated returns. Once victims invest substantial amounts or try to withdraw funds, the platforms disappear and communication ceases.

fabricated: 만들어진, 거짓된

substantial: 상당한, 큰

기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10602261