Korea, Laos join forces against cross-border crime

Dec 16, 2025, 09:57 am

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President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith ahead of their summit at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on December 15. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith on December 15, agreeing to elevate bilateral ties to a “comprehensive partnership” as the two countries mark the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations.

At the meeting, the two leaders agreed to strengthen criminal justice cooperation to counter transnational crimes, including scam operations that have recently proliferated across Southeast Asia.

Lee encouraged the participation of South Korean companies in Laos’ Luang Prabang International Airport development project, and expressed hope for mutually beneficial cooperation in building supply chains for critical minerals such as rare earths, as well as in water resource management and climate change response.

Speaking at the Korea–Laos summit held at the presidential office in Yongsan, Lee said he hoped the two countries would further develop a mutually beneficial and forward-looking partnership and deliver tangible outcomes that citizens of both nations can feel.

Describing Laos as an important partner for building critical mineral supply chains due to its abundant natural resources, Lee said he was confident Laos would successfully pursue its national goal of becoming a regional transportation and logistics hub, adding that South Korea would stand alongside Laos as a reliable partner in that process.

Lee also called for close cooperation to swiftly conclude a customs mutual assistance agreement under discussion and to revise the bilateral double taxation avoidance agreement that entered into force in 2006, in order to establish an institutional foundation for expanding trade and investment.

On the occasion of the summit, the two countries signed two treaties: a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters and an extradition treaty. They also agreed to establish a hotline between the South Korean Embassy in Laos and the Lao Ministry of Public Security to strengthen protection for South Korean nationals in Laos.

In addition, the two sides agreed to expedite the signing of a memorandum of understanding on police cooperation currently under discussion and to renew a memorandum on labor dispatch under South Korea’s employment permit system, facilitating smoother exchanges of manpower between the two countries.

#Korea–Laos relations #transnational crime #extradition treaty #criminal justice cooperation #critical minerals