"Stop Drugs and Scams"... 'Global Capital Police' Gather in Seoul

First International Capital Police Council to Be Held from June 23 to 25
Building a Cooperative System to Combat Transnational Crime
Delegates from China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Others to Attend

Police chiefs from the capitals of six countries, including China and Vietnam, will gather in Seoul to discuss strategies for combating transnational crimes that cross borders. The police plan to use this meeting as an opportunity to establish a permanent cooperative system among major capital city police agencies around the world.

2026 International Capital Police Council Poster. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

At a regular press briefing held at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 1, Jeongbo Park, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, stated, "Recently, there has been a rise in transnational crimes that transcend national borders." He added, "To establish a practical cooperative framework among international police agencies, we proposed the International Capital Police Council (ICPC)."

The International Capital Police Council will be held from June 23 to 25 at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Sebitseom Island in Banpo Hangang Park, Seocho-gu. This international conference was organized after Seoul proposed the establishment of a regular cooperation system among major capital city police agencies, and it is the first time the event will be hosted in Seoul.

This event will be held under the theme "Connected Capital Security, Borderless Safety." It is expected to be attended by 22 delegates, including the chiefs of police from Beijing, China; Hanoi, Vietnam; Manila, Philippines; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; and The Hague, Netherlands, as well as approximately 100 domestic and international guests.

The police noted that each capital city shares the characteristic of being a core urban center, concentrating population, infrastructure, and administrative functions. Commissioner Park explained, "Capital cities tend to have dense living infrastructure, high population density, and most of the nation's critical facilities, so their security concerns are likely to be similar. Furthermore, many Korean nationals live in these capitals, and these are common destinations for Korean travelers, so protecting our citizens abroad is also essential."

He particularly emphasized the need to address transnational crime, citing recent crackdowns on scam crimes in Cambodia. He said, "While there are international police chief conferences, their agendas are often too broad to facilitate practical cooperation. Through this meeting, I hope to establish an organization that can deliver real operational collaboration." During the event, participating police agencies will discuss the establishment of regular exchange systems among capital police, activating communication channels at the working level, and strengthening cooperation for the protection of overseas nationals, both through bilateral meetings and plenary sessions. A joint declaration is also expected to be adopted based on the outcomes of the meeting.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency also plans to propose cooperation measures in three major areas: traffic, investigation, and crime prevention. In the traffic sector, the key agenda includes establishing a digital cooperative system for managing risks in capital cities. In investigations, the focus will be on standardizing capabilities for responding to transnational crime, while in crime prevention, global capital city security cooperation will be discussed as a major topic.

It was also reported that participating countries have shown strong interest in training programs to enhance crime response capabilities and the sharing of investigative techniques. Commissioner Park said, "France, the UK, and the US have also expressed interest in this council. If the first meeting is successful, we expect more capital city police agencies to participate in the future."

Meanwhile, the delegation is also scheduled to visit major police facilities, including the Seoul 112 General Situation Room, Traffic Information Center, Mobile Police Headquarters, Special Police Force, and the Han River Police Unit.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.