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The Korean National Police Agency is attending the Interpol Global Conference on Illicit Drugs, held in Prague, Czech Republic, from the 6th to the 8th, to discuss international cooperation on drug crimes through Interpol. / Korean National Police Agency

Police have begun full-scale efforts to host the tentative Interpol Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau in Seoul to serve as a regional hub for countering transnational crime. The plan envisions launching a specialized task force on illicit drug crimes in 2027 before expanding it into a formal regional bureau by 2029.

The Korean National Police Agency announced on the 7th that it is attending the Interpol Global Conference on Illicit Drugs, held in Prague, Czech Republic, from the 6th to the 8th, to discuss international cooperation on drug crimes through Interpol. Delegations from 89 countries are participating in the conference.

A South Korean delegation led by Kim Dong-kwon, Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau at the Korean National Police Agency, will unveil the proposal to host the tentative Interpol Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau in Seoul on the 8th, the final day of the conference, seeking support and participation from member states.

The police plan to consult with Interpol to establish and operate an Interpol Drug Response Task Force in 2027. Staffed by Interpol officials and seconded police officers from Asia-Pacific member countries, the task force will effectively serve as a precursor to the regional bureau until the permanent office opens.

The task force will integrate and analyze intelligence on drug-related cases across participating nations and plan and coordinate multilateral joint operations. It also plans to support international wanted notices, the tracking of fugitives, and asset tracing for criminal proceeds, alongside providing training for investigators from member nations.

Following deliberations and resolutions by the Interpol Executive Committee and General Assembly, the police aim to officially inaugurate the Asia-Pacific regional bureau on the occasion of the Interpol General Assembly scheduled to be held in Seoul in 2029.

Once established, the regional bureau will complement existing Interpol operational hubs, providing ongoing support for joint operations, intelligence analysis, and training among member states in the Asia-Pacific. While initially focusing on drug crimes, the police plan to expand its mandate to encompass other cross-border transnational crimes, including digital sex crimes and scams.

The police plan to hold high-level bilateral talks with the Interpol General Secretariat during the Interpol General Assembly in Hong Kong this coming December to deliver a letter of intent to host the regional bureau and pursue follow-up discussions.

Kim Dong-kwon, Director General of the International Cooperation Bureau, stated that because drug crimes know no borders, cutting off the domestic inflow must be accompanied by striking at the sources of supply, adding that police will work closely with Interpol and regional member states to put forth every effort toward launching the task force and hosting the regional bureau.

                                                                                                            Seol So-young