(MENAFN- IANS) Seoul, Oct 19 (IANS) An international collaborative project to improve water management in Cambodia has been suspended amid a recent rise in crimes targeting South Koreans in the Southeast Asian country, a state research institute said on Sunday.

The joint initiative, led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and South Korea, aims to strengthen the resilience of the people and communities in the climate and disaster vulnerable regions along the Mekong River, including Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.

As part of the project, the state-run Science & Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) carried out a pilot program to help establish a water supply and management model using renewable energy in Cambodia in cooperation with South Korean companies, reports Yonhap news agency.

According to STEPI, however, the institute has postponed a planned ceremony to transfer the program to the Cambodian authorities later this year. The transfer has been put on hold for the time being, though STEPI said it will continue similar projects in other countries.

South Korea operates several official development assistance (ODA) programs in Cambodia that may be affected by the recent developments between Seoul and Phnom Penh.

Crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia drew intense public attention after the death of a college student who was reportedly brutally tortured by a criminal ring engaged in online scams in August.

In response, the South Korean government has stepped up diplomatic and investigative efforts, including tracking and rescuing nationals who may be held by criminal organisations.

More than 60 South Koreans who had been detained in Cambodia returned home Saturday, a few days after a South Korean government response team was dispatched to the country.

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