Capital Police from Seven Countries Gather in Seoul...Full-Scale Cooperation Against Transnational Crime Begins

Cooperation for the Apprehension and Repatriation of 64 Fugitives

In response to transnational crime, the police agencies of major world capitals have moved to establish a permanent system of cooperation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on June 28 that it held the first official meeting of the International Capital Police Chiefs' Conference (ICPC) from June 23 to June 25 at Sebitseom in Banpo Hangang Park, Seoul. The event was attended by 21 representatives from the capital police agencies of seven countries—including Seoul, Beijing (China), Hanoi (Vietnam), Manila (Philippines), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), and The Hague (Netherlands)—as well as over 100 participants, including diplomatic delegations from 14 countries.

Park Jungbo, Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the delegation of capital police representatives from participating countries of the International Capital Police Chiefs (ICPC) are posing for a commemorative photo at the official ICPC event held at Sebitseom, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency

During the plenary session, the participating countries shared their national public safety policies and case studies on responses to transnational crime. They also adopted a joint declaration covering regular cooperation and information sharing among capital police agencies, as well as joint responses to advanced crime. The declaration included practical, on-the-ground cooperation measures such as the establishment of hotlines among working-level officials and the expansion of investigation collaboration.

Tangible results were also achieved. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency provided the participating countries with a list of 64 key suspects currently at large overseas (7 in China, 27 in the Philippines, 16 in Vietnam, and 14 in Cambodia). The countries agreed to cooperate for the swift apprehension and repatriation of these suspects. Starting next year, working-level officials from participating countries will join the investigative training program of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to share investigative techniques and public safety systems. Cooperation to protect Korean nationals abroad will also be strengthened. The participants agreed to jointly produce "crime prevention guidelines tailored to local residents," and to ensure that local police actively cooperate with immediate response measures in cases where Korean nationals lose their passports, fall victim to crime, go missing, or experience similar incidents.

In addition, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will seek to sign or amend memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on public safety cooperation with the police agencies of Hanoi, The Hague, and Beijing, and will operate permanent working groups in the fields of investigation, traffic, and crime prevention. The next ICPC meeting is expected to be held in the second half of next year in either Manila, Philippines or Beijing, China.

Commissioner Park Jungbo said, "I hope the International Capital Police Chiefs' Conference will establish itself as a strategic cooperation platform based on trust among the capital police agencies of each country," adding, "We will continue to expand public safety cooperation that is focused on the field."

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