South Korean and Philippine police hold joint drill based on real kidnapping case, review entire victim rescue process

[Financial News] South Korean and Philippine police conducted a joint mock exercise based on an actual kidnapping-and-rescue case. They reviewed response procedures from receiving a report to rescuing the victim and shared specialized investigative techniques, including crisis negotiation and cyber investigation.
The Korean National Police Agency said on the 6th that it had conducted a joint field training exercise (FTX, or Field Training Exercise) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to prepare for serious crimes such as kidnapping.
Officials from the International Police Cooperation Bureau and the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) took part in the exercise. Based on a past kidnapping-and-rescue case in Manila, the exercise recreated a situation similar to the actual incident and involved directly inspecting the scene.
The exercise began with a kidnapping report being received in the Philippine police operations room. Participants then reviewed the full response process used in an actual case, including disseminating situation updates, command and control, dispatching police officers to the scene, locating the victim and carrying out the rescue.
Specialists in crisis negotiation and cyber investigation from the Korean police took part. They shared relevant investigative techniques and field experience with the Philippine police and discussed ways to rescue victims quickly when an actual kidnapping occurs.
The two countries' police forces also held the Korea-Philippines Joint Conference on Responding to Kidnapping Cases at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines. Police experts from both countries shared their experience in responding to kidnapping cases and investigative techniques, and discussed the roles of each agency and cooperation procedures in the event of an actual incident. The Philippine police expressed their commitment to actively investigating kidnapping cases involving Korean nationals and making every effort to apprehend suspects.
The Korean National Police Agency plans to expand practical joint exercises and international cooperation with law enforcement agencies in major Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, to prepare for serious crimes targeting Korean nationals. It will also continue cooperating with relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas diplomatic missions, to strengthen its ability to respond to incidents involving Korean nationals abroad.
Kim Dong-kwon, director of the International Police Cooperation Bureau at the Korean National Police Agency, said, "The significance of this exercise is that South Korean and Philippine police jointly reviewed all response procedures, from receiving a report to rescuing a victim, based on an actual kidnapping case. We will continue to establish close cooperation systems with relevant agencies in the Philippines and at home and abroad so that we can respond more quickly and systematically to incidents threatening the lives and safety of Korean nationals overseas."


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