The government will mark the one-year anniversary of its comprehensive response to transnational crime on October 23. Officials say that enhanced inter-agency cooperation has transformed the framework for addressing these crimes.
On October 22, the government stated, "Last year on October 23, President Lee Jae-myung directed a meeting of relevant ministers to consolidate national capabilities in response to serious social issues such as abduction, confinement, and scam crimes targeting our citizens in Cambodia."
It added, "To systematically address transnational crimes such as scams, drug trafficking, and cybercrime, the 'Special Task Force for Transnational Crime' was launched on December 29 last year. Currently, ten agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Financial Services Commission, National Intelligence Service, and the National Police Agency, are participating."
The government emphasized, "By integrating presidential diplomacy into the response to long-standing issues of fugitives abroad, we have established a unified system for tackling transnational crime."
It also highlighted its commitment to dismantling the perception among criminal organizations that they can evade South Korean law by establishing bases overseas, stating that it will pursue those committing crimes against South Korean citizens abroad to the end.
Among the achievements cited were the repatriation of Park Wang-yeol, known as the 'drug kingpin' in the Philippines, and the capture and extradition of the leader of an illegal gambling site from the UAE.
The government noted, "The results of our comprehensive response are evident in concrete figures. From January to September this year, the number of arrests in Southeast Asia reached 834, a 2.5-fold increase from 340 during the same period last year. The repatriation of fugitives also rose from 254 to 655, a 2.6-fold increase."
Additionally, it reported a significant decrease in reports of abduction and confinement related to Cambodia scams, with cases of voice phishing dropping by 50.2%.
To prevent the influx of drugs from abroad, the government established secondary checkpoints at five major postal centers, resulting in the seizure of a total of 1,339 kg of drugs from January to September this year. This marks a record 104% increase compared to the same period last year when considering only seizures intended for domestic distribution.
Based on these results, the government plans to intensify its efforts against transnational crime, stating, "We will target overseas criminal bases, swiftly apprehend and extradite key figures and core members, trace, freeze, and recover criminal proceeds, and provide protection and support for victims. We will systematically link these efforts with international cooperation with major countries to undermine the human and material foundations of criminal organizations."
A government official remarked, "The past year has fundamentally changed South Korea's approach to transnational crime by consolidating capabilities that were previously scattered across different agencies. With the president's strong commitment and the organic cooperation of relevant institutions, we will mobilize all our resources until transnational crimes threatening the lives and property of our citizens are eradicated."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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