Seoul Metropolitan Police are establishing a working-level cooperation system among capital police forces of major countries as cross-border crimes including Cambodian scam operations and drug trafficking surge. The initiative aims to create a permanent cooperation channel that goes beyond simple international conferences, sharing investigation techniques and criminal intelligence to strengthen the protection of overseas Korean nationals and the response to transnational crimes.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced Wednesday that it will host the "International Capital Police Council" in Seoul from the 23rd to the 25th of this month, bringing together capital police forces from six countries: China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, and the Netherlands. About 100 participants, including the heads of the seven capital police agencies and their delegations, are expected to attend.
The council was initiated through a direct proposal by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Seoul Police viewed that capital cities share similar policing environments, such as high population density, concentrations of foreign residents, and clusters of major government institutions, and therefore the crime patterns and security challenges faced by police forces are also similar, leading to the proposal for a working-level cooperation body.
The launch of the council also comes against the backdrop of growing demand for inter-state cooperation as cross-border crimes including Cambodian scam compounds, overseas drug organizations, and voice phishing rings have surged recently.
Key agenda items at the meeting will include the establishment of digital-based policing cooperation systems, the standardization of cross-border crime response capabilities, and global capital city policing cooperation measures. In the investigation field, participating countries have reportedly requested that Korean police share their criminal investigation techniques and know-how in tracking criminal proceeds.
"We will approach this at a practical level, including building human networks among working-level officials and addressing each country's current issues," Seoul Metropolitan Police Commissioner Park Jung-bo said at a regular briefing the same day. "It will be of great help in responding to crimes by foreigners in Korea and in protecting Korean nationals abroad."
