Relations strengthened between law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan, Korea

Kadirov Doniyor, right, deputy adviser to the president of Uzbekistan on coordination of the activities of law enforcement and regulatory bodies, holds a meeting with Kim Chang-yong, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, at the National Policy Agency in Seoul, May 18. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Embassy to Korea

By Kim Yong-gu

Recently, there has been a significant revitalization of cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of Korea and Uzbekistan in a wide range of areas of mutual interest.

Kim Yong-gu, chairman of Korea-Uzbekistan Business Association

Over the past and current year, we have seen several mutual visits of delegations, including heads of law enforcement agencies of the two countries. As the outcome of the meetings and negotiations, a number of interdepartmental documents have been signed on the further intensification of cooperation between the law enforcement agencies, and cooperation plans have been concluded to provide specific practical steps for further cooperation.

The visit to the Republic of Korea of Kadirov Doniyor, the deputy adviser to the president of Uzbekistan on coordination of the activities of law enforcement and regulatory bodies, which took place in May, gave a strong impetus to upgrade the interaction level between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries to a new level. During the visit, meetings were held with the leadership of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea, Korean Customs Service (KCS) and Korean National Police University.

Kadirov Doniyor visits the office of Lim Jae-hyeon, commissioner of the Korea Custom Service, May 20. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Embassy to Korea

In addition, KNPA Commissioner General Kim Chang-yong paid an official visit to Uzbekistan from June 16 to 20. During the visit, meetings were held with the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan (MIA), the National Guard of Uzbekistan, the University of Public Security of Uzbekistan and the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan. Memorandums of understanding were signed between the KNPA, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard of Uzbekistan.

Also, a trilateral Action Plan for 2021-22 was signed between the KNPA, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard of Uzbekistan, which incorporated the specific practical steps of interaction between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries.

KCS Commissioner Lim Jae-hyeon paid an official visit to Uzbekistan from Sept. 13 to 15. During the visit, the delegation held a meeting with Chairman of the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Major General Murotjon Azimov, during which the current state of cooperation issues was discussed and further detailed steps to intensify interaction between customs authorities of the two countries were identified.

Representatives from the Korean National Police Agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan and the National Guard of Uzbekistan sign a memorandum of understanding in Tashkent, June 17. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Embassy to Korea

The two sides also discussed issues of cooperation between the customs authorities of the two countries in the field of personnel training, exchange of experience in the fields of customs control and examination, risk management, counter-smuggling operations and customs audits.

At the end of the meeting, a memorandum of cooperation and exchange of experience in the field of professional training was signed between the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the KCS.

In addition, during the visit, the guests were introduced to the Situation Center of the State Customs Committee, the Museum of the History of Customs, and also got familiarized with the landmarks of Samarkand.

At the end of October, Korea's Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan. During the visit, further discussions are planned on specific steps to enhance interaction between the supreme courts of the two countries.

The two sides are expressing their readiness to further expand cooperation in a wide range of areas. In order to further improve the legal framework of interaction between the judicial authorities of the two countries, during the visit, the parties will sign a memorandum of cooperation between the supreme courts of Uzbekistan and Korea, encompassing the exchange of experience in judicial system advancement, strengthening the role and prestige of the judiciary and the activities of judicial institutions, as well provision of the independence of the courts and the training of judges.

Korea Custom Service Commissioner Lim Jae-hyeon, third from left, meets with Major Gen. Murotjon Azimov, third from right, in Tashkent, Sept. 13. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Embassy to Korea

At the end of November, SMPA Commissioner Choi Gwan-ho will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan. Within the framework of the visit, it is planned to determine further specific steps of interdepartmental cooperation, familiarize the Korean delegation with the activities of the Main Department of Internal Affairs of Tashkent (MDIA), as well as sign a memorandum of understanding between the MDIA of Tashkent and the Seoul police agency.

Furthermore, contacts between specialists as well as at the level of the heads of the prosecutor generals' offices are maintained on a regular basis. In 2018, the prosecutor general of Uzbekistan visited Korea, and in 2019, a reciprocal visit of Korea's prosecutor general to Uzbekistan was organized. Currently, the sides are considering organizing a visit of the prosecutor general of Uzbekistan to Korea after the pandemic situation in the two countries improves.

On an ongoing basis, work is being carried out on the exchange of experience in areas of mutual interest. The two sides organize lectures and seminars, as well as internships for law enforcement specialists of the two countries. In 2018, a 3-year cooperation program was signed between the prosecutor generals' offices of the two countries, which made it possible to implement many fruitful events. The two sides are also discussing activities to be included in the next interdepartmental cooperation program for 2022-23.

The prosecutor generals' offices of the two countries express their readiness to further intensify interaction and exchange of experience in a wide range of areas. In November, it is planned to conduct online seminars hosted by Korean specialists for employees of the Prosecutor General's Office of Uzbekistan on topics provided by the Uzbek side. Also, the two sides are preparing mutual visits of employees of the prosecutor generals' offices of the two countries for establishing direct contact and exchanges of experience in the law enforcement sphere.

Kadirov Doniyor, left, meets with Jang Ha-yeun, then-chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, May 17. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Embassy to Korea

At the same time, the two countries are actively interacting and exchanging experience in the field of fire safety. Contact between specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Uzbekistan and the National Fire Service of Korea are maintained on a regular basis. With the assistance of the Korean-Uzbek Business Association, the project titled “Construction and commissioning of a fire safety training complex in the Tashkent region” of Uzbekistan is currently in progress. Also, at the end of this year, special firefighting vehicles will be sent to Uzbekistan on a free-of-charge basis.

In addition, within the framework of the agreements reached on cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries, direct working contacts have been established, which make it possible to interact and exchange information in the fields of combating terrorism, extremism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, cybercrime and public safety. Working meetings of law enforcement specialists of the two countries are held on a regular basis, within the framework of which the parties exchange experience in the most popular areas.

The established communication channels have proven their effectiveness repeatedly, a clear example of which is the prompt identification of criminals wanted in the two countries, their arrest and subsequent transfer to law enforcement agencies.

Also, the Korean side conducts seminars and master classes regularly on combating cybercrime and the use of modern information technologies in ensuring public safety for specialists of law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan.

The law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan draw the most advanced methods and directions from the Korean experience, and actively introduce them into their daily activities.

In general, we can say with confidence that the high level of interaction achieved to date between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries will continue to develop intensively for the benefit of ensuring the safety of citizens of Uzbekistan and Korea.

Kim Yong-gu is the chairman of Korea-Uzbekistan Business Association.