Published: 07 Aug. 2025, 16:18

Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, left, talks with his son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, during the 74th founding anniversary in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 28. [AP/YONHAP]

Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, left, talks with his son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, during the 74th founding anniversary in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on June 28. [AP/YONHAP]

 
Thailand and Korea on Thursday denied a claim by Cambodia that the Thai military plotted to assassinate Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet using Korean-made guided bombs.
 
The allegation, which surfaced through reports referencing unnamed foreign intelligence sources, claimed that the Thai military planned to use AT-6TH Wolverine light attack aircraft armed with Korean-made GPS-guided bombs to target the Cambodian leaders.
 
The intelligence report further alleged that Thailand acquired eight AT-6TH and 200 Korean-made smart bombs on July 29, and that four additional aircraft of the same model sent to Korea for repairs or rearmament had returned to Thailand. The origin of the report has not been disclosed.
 
Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa at a press conference on Wednesday dismissed the allegations as “unfounded” and “driven by politics” spread by Cambodia.
 
Korea’s Embassy in Cambodia issued a statement the same day denying the reports.
 
“Regarding recent Cambodian media reports about a plot targeting Cambodian leadership, the alleged involvement of Korean guided bombs and AT-6 TH light-attack aircraft is not true,” the embassy said in a notice posted to its website. “The Government of the Republic of Korea has welcomed the immediate and unconditional cease-fire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, and has expressed its expectation that all parties will faithfully implement the agreement so that the conflict may be resolved peacefully.”
 
The allegations emerged just weeks after a five-day military clash between Cambodia and Thailand that ended in a cease-fire on July 24. Negotiations to finalize the terms of the truce are currently underway in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this year’s Asean chair.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]