BJ Ayon's death in Cambodia two years ago sparks renewed interest after her underwear was found inside out

Recently, amid a series of cases involving the abduction, confinement and torture of South Koreans in Cambodia, the spotlight has once again turned to the case of BJ Ayon, who was found dead in Cambodia two years ago.

　On the 16th (today), according to entertainment industry sources, Ayon, who had worked as an internet broadcast jockey (BJ) for ten years on platforms such as AfreecaTV and YouTube, suddenly posted a comment on social media in March 2023 stating, "I have settled my BJ activities. I will live as an ordinary person for the time being."

　Approximately three months later, on 2nd June, Ayon entered Cambodia with an acquaintance, A. She visited a hospital operated by a Chinese couple without medical licences. Having entered this hospital around 4:10 pm on the 4th, Ayon's body was discovered two days later at a construction site in Kandal Province, near Phnom Penh, wrapped in red cloth.

　Immediately after the incident, local police arrested the Chinese couple in their thirties who ran the hospital on suspicion of abandoning a corpse. They initially claimed "Ms Ayon died suddenly after suffering a seizure following a serum injection," but later changed their story in custody, stating she had died from a drug overdose. However, Ms Ayon's drug test results were negative.

　Regarding the condition of the body, Cambodian police raised the possibility of sexual assault, sparking numerous suspicions.

　Initially, those who saw the body stated the deceased appeared to have been severely beaten, raising suspicions that the Chinese couple had tortured her. However, the autopsy conducted by the local forensic team found no evidence of torture, fractures, bruises, or other external injuries.

　Experts explained that in the hot climate and high humidity, the rapid decomposition process caused by microorganisms within the body made the shape of blood vessels stand out prominently. Witnesses likely mistook this for signs of assault.

　Allegations of sexual assault also surfaced. Local police testified, "At the time, the victim was not wearing an upper garment over her underwear, and her underwear was worn inside out. This led to suspicions of sexual assault." An autopsy was deemed necessary to clarify this, but it was found that over 40 days had passed since death, rendering meaningful results unattainable. The suspect denied the sexual assault allegations.

　The Chinese couple were referred to a pre-trial judge on murder charges. The pre-trial judge, acting as prosecutor, decides whether to indict based on supplementary investigations. Cambodia's pre-trial judges can hold suspects for up to three years. However, two years on, the investigation remains at a standstill.

　Meanwhile, the South Korean government has issued a Level 4 travel warning, advising against all travel, for certain regions of Cambodia where cases of employment fraud and confinement have surged, effective from midnight today. It has also decided to upgrade the existing travel warnings for other regions.