Korean National Police Agency Hosts 'Global Joint Operations Conference'... 16 Countries Including the U.S. and Kingdom of Cambodia Participate

Representatives from 16 countries, including the United States (U.S.), gathered in Seoul to discuss responses such as apprehending suspects in transnational scam crime organizations operating mainly in Southeast Asia.
The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) announced that it would host the 'Global Joint Operations Conference' in Seoul for two days starting on the 11th to coordinate a joint response to transnational scam crimes.
This conference marks the first in-person meeting for 'Breaking Chains,' a joint operation targeting transnational scam and human trafficking crimes.
Three international organizations—International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), ASEANAPOL, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)—along with 16 partner countries, attended the event. Participating countries included South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the U.S., Brunei, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Japan, China, Kingdom of Cambodia, Canada, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This joint operation was unanimously adopted by 10 member states at the 43rd ASEANAPOL General Assembly held in Bangkok, Thailand, on the 3rd. Previously, the KNPA launched the International Cooperation Consultative Body to address issues related to transnational criminal complexes and has been promoting joint operations.
During the conference, participating countries exchanged data on 24 cases of organized crimes, including scam and cyber crimes, and 75 investigative leads. They also discussed specific cooperation measures such as suspect apprehension and extradition. For eight cases where sufficient evidence was secured, joint response strategies for arresting suspects and rescuing victims were discussed.
Efforts are also underway to prevent the so-called 'balloon effect,' where suspects flee to other regions due to joint operations. In connection with 'INFRA-SEAF,' a fugitive tracking operation funded by South Korea for INTERPOL, a joint operation was conducted last month in the border area between Vietnam and Kingdom of Cambodia, tracking related suspects. This month, operations will continue in major border areas of ASEAN countries, blocking escape routes and linking immigration information in real time. INTERPOL and Korean police officers are participating in these operations.
At this conference, the KNPA announced the future direction of the International Cooperation Consultative Body led by the Korean police and decided to further develop its operational model. Plans include establishing a permanent information system, cooperative investigations, victim protection, and facilitating extradition.
Lee Jaeyoung, Director of International Cooperation at the KNPA, stated, "This conference marks the starting point for moving international cooperation against transnational scam crimes into the implementation stage," adding, "Through close collaboration with each country, we will achieve tangible progress in eradicating scam crime organizations and take the lead in protecting victims."
unsaid@fnnews.com Kang Myung-yeon Reporter