It's not over yet! The Cambodian National Human Rights Commission has lodged a protest with the Wall Street Journal, complaining about the headline "Scambodia" as infringing on human rights and demanding its immediate removal and an apology.

On April 22, Keo Rémy sent a letter to The Wall Street Journal, addressed to WSJ Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker, demanding a formal apology and correction for the use of the word "Scambodia" in a headline referring to Cambodia. In the letter,
Keo Rémy stated that the use of "Scambodia" to refer to Cambodia was defamatory, emotionally damaging, and stigmatized the sovereign nation as a place of crime, inciting hatred and discrimination against its people. The letter also expressed

concern about the human rights impact, pointing out that the WSJ had essentially stereotyped the entire Cambodian population, undermining their dignity and reputation—crucial components of universally recognized human rights principles.

The letter stated, “Responsible reporting must reflect caution in language use, news perspective, and fact-checking, avoiding sarcastic or defamatory remarks that lead to discrimination, stereotyping, and undermine foreign investment confidence. Investigative reporting must not be based on unverified sources or individuals/groups with malicious intent.” The

Cambodian Human Rights Committee also demanded the removal of the word “Scambodia” from the article, the correction or clarification of the content, the avoidance of such derogatory language in the future, and a formal apology for the incident.

Furthermore, on April 22, Keo Rémy posted on Facebook stating, “Online fraud and complicit officials are separate issues, but distorting the name to damage the reputation of my country of nearly 18 million people is a serious attack on the honor of my nation and my people.” It should be noted that

on April 19, 2026, The Wall Street Journal published an investigative article about online crime in Cambodia. The headline read, “How Cybercrime Became a Leading Industry in Scambodia.”

Cambodian Ministry of Information spokesman Thep Asnarit expressed regret over the US media's use of such language, viewing it as insulting, discriminatory towards the entire country, and a violation of journalistic ethics. He added that the ministry had sent a letter to the WSJ editor requesting a review and revision of the publication.