Statistics Korea and Daejeon City Strengthen Cooperation on Crime Statistics in the Asia-Pacific Region

Extension of Phase 2 Collaborative Project Agreement

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Ju Sang-don] The Statistics Korea announced on the 13th that it will sign a written Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Daejeon City regarding the second phase of cooperation on crime statistics development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Through the first phase of cooperation (2019?2022), the two organizations have maintained a practical cooperative relationship, including operational support for the Asia-Pacific Crime Statistics Cooperation Center. During the first phase, they laid the foundation for the cooperation center and supported its role as a hub for Asia-Pacific crime statistics by hosting an international symposium (2019) and the 5th International Crime Conference (2021, online), achieving outcomes such as enhancing national prestige and raising awareness of Daejeon.

The Cooperation Center is an international organization affiliated with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), established to carry out cooperative projects between Statistics Korea and UNODC. It is the first and only international organization office in the central region, established in 2019 in Daejeon, aiming to develop crime statistics and promote the implementation of international crime classification in 56 Asia-Pacific countries.

The main cooperation contents of the second phase agreement include supporting the operation of the Cooperation Center, hosting international events related to crime statistics (such as meetings) in the region, providing international organization work experience to local talent, sharing trends in international crime statistics development, and exchanging statistical knowledge and information.

Statistics Korea plans to hold international seminars related to crime statistics within this year to commemorate the signing of the second phase agreement and the 4th anniversary of the Cooperation Center's opening.

A Statistics Korea official stated, "Through the activities of the Cooperation Center, we have completed the development of Korea’s crime classification based on international crime classification, and externally, we will actively support the implementation of international crime classification within the Asia-Pacific region. Internally, we plan to lead the early expansion of domestic crime statistics and the production of internationally comparable crime statistics."