Police authorities of Korea, Malaysia agree to boost cooperation against transnational scams

Acting National Police Agency chief Yoo Jae-seong, left, and his Malaysian counterpart, Mohd Khalid Ismail, shake hands as they meet for talks at Yoo’s office in western Seoul on Feb. 4. [YONHAP]

 
The police authorities of Korea and Malaysia on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in clamping down on transnational crimes, such as online scams, officials said.
 
Yoo Jae-seong, acting commissioner general of the National Police Agency, and his Malaysian counterpart, Mohd Khalid Ismail, signed the preliminary document on the sidelines of their talks held in western Seoul.
 
 
Under the MOU, the two sides agreed to swiftly share information on transnational crimes, such as scam complexes in Southeast Asia, and to work together on joint police operations, including the arrest and repatriation of fugitives.
 
Yoo also asked for Malaysia to join a Korea-led global investigative body launched last October, officials said, noting Ismail pledged to review measures for cooperation to combat new types of cybercrime.
 
Korean police have recently sought to better address crimes targeting its nationals in Southeast Asia in the wake of reports of abductions and confinement of Koreans in Cambodia in connection with criminal rings and scam centers based in the country.

Yonhap