S. Korea's acting police chief addresses UN summit on transnational crime, cuts trip short over murder case

Acting Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-sung delivered a speech Wednesday at the fifth UN Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS) at UN headquarters in New York, addressing the theme of strengthening international cooperation and expanding South Korea's contribution to combating transnational crime.

The Korean National Police Agency said Thursday that Yoo used the address to signal South Korea's commitment to actively contributing to the global fight against cross-border crimes including cybercrime, drug trafficking and human trafficking. UNCOPS is a biennial gathering of senior police officials from around the world to discuss UN peacekeeping operations and international law enforcement issues.

The South Korean delegation led by Yoo also held a series of meetings with heads of UN agencies. On Wednesday, the delegation met with UNDP Administrator Haoliang Xu to discuss identifying new official development assistance projects. On Monday, they met with UN Department of Peace Operations Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix to discuss plans to deploy South Korean police officers to the UN Mission in South Sudan within the year.

On Tuesday, Yoo met with Korean American police officers serving in the United States and heard their views on protecting overseas Korean nationals. Yoo praised their efforts, saying officers of Korean immigrant background serve as a bridge on the front lines of protecting overseas Koreans through their understanding of language and culture.

On Monday, the delegation signed MOUs on law enforcement cooperation with the police agencies of Jordan and the Netherlands, agreeing to expand collaboration on international crime and other security matters.

The delegation is scheduled to visit FBI headquarters Thursday for high-level talks on information sharing and cooperation in combating transnational crime. The delegation is also set to sign an MOU with the Inter-American Development Bank the same day to expand law enforcement diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

"Through this visit, we will further strengthen international law enforcement cooperation to create a safe environment for overseas Koreans and all citizens, wherever they may be," Yoo said.

Yoo cut short his US trip, originally scheduled from Sunday through Saturday, by one day. The Korean National Police Agency announced Wednesday that Yoo would cancel his remaining schedule and return home Friday morning, citing public concern over the murder of a high school student in Gwangju. Allegations have emerged that police colluded with the father of suspect Jang Yun-gi — an active-duty police officer — leaking investigative information and helping destroy evidence. The agency has formed a special investigation team to look into the matter.