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Korea to deepen police ties with Thailand, Malaysia to combat transnational crime
An officer stands guard at the National Police Agency in Seoul in this undated photo. Korea Times file
By Lee Kyung-min
Korea is ramping up law enforcement cooperation with Thailand and Malaysia to address cross-border syndicates involved in online scams, cyber gambling and illicit drug trafficking.
The Korean National Police Agency said Wednesday that Park Jun-sung, director general of the International Bureau, met with foreign affairs officers from the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok. The bilateral talks aimed to fortify joint strategies against a "balloon effect," where criminal syndicates shift locations across national borders following localized law enforcement crackdowns.
Both nations formalized plans to enhance operational collaboration. Key initiatives include tracking major fugitives, exchanging data on evolving criminal methodologies, ensuring the safety of overseas nationals and broadening Official Development Assistance programs in public safety.
The meeting builds on reciprocal successes in high-profile extraditions.
Law enforcement officials lauded the recent arrest and extradition of a Korean drug-trafficking suspect named Choi Byung-min, also known as the "Cheongdam CEO," from Thailand, alongside the successful apprehension and transfer of Thai drug kingpin Thapanan from Korea.
Thapanan, also known as "Noo Chen," is a notorious Thai drug lord and transnational trafficker who controlled a massive narcotics cartel responsible for distributing billions of dollars in illegal drugs across the Asia-Pacific region, including Korea and Australia. Thapanan was arrested by Korean authorities at a hotel in southern Seoul last April and quickly deported to Thailand.
The two countries agreed to modernize their current policing memorandum of understanding to address a changing security landscape. They also plan to establish a regular working-level consultative body dedicated to sharing intelligence on transnational criminal organizations. Additionally, Korea pledged legal protection for Thai nationals living within its borders, while requesting that Thai authorities bolster crime prevention measures for Korean residents and tourists.
Following Park's itinerary in Thailand, which includes visits to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes regional office, he will travel to Malaysia on June 18 to meet with the Royal Malaysia Police and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chiefs of Police to explore joint regional projects funded by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, further extending Seoul's collaborative security network in Southeast Asia.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.