Thailand Visit by Yoon Hee-geun... Meets Security Chief and Urges Protection of Overseas Nationals

MOU for Blocking Regional Drug Spread and Mutual Dispatch of Police Liaison Officers
Request for Support in Voting for World Expo Host City
Visit to Thailand Ministry of Transport, Consensus on Mutual Recognition of English Driver's Licenses

Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, announced on the 9th that he visited the Royal Thai Police Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, and held a security chiefs meeting with Dumrongsak Kittiprapas, Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police.

Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun of the National Police Agency visited the Royal Thai Police on the 9th and signed a memorandum of understanding with Commissioner Dumrongsak Priprasert to establish a strategic cooperation system to block drug distribution within ASEAN and to dispatch police cooperation officers between the two countries.
[Photo by National Police Agency]

At the security chiefs meeting, the heads of the police agencies of both countries discussed comprehensive cooperation to block the spread of narcotics in the region, respond to transnational crimes, apprehend and extradite fugitives abroad, and mutually protect overseas nationals. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on the mutual dispatch of police liaison officers to establish a strategic security cooperation promotion system.

Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun stated, "Thailand, which has shared 65 years of diplomatic relations with us, is our blood ally who participated in the Korean War. The two countries will cooperate to prevent the spread of narcotics within ASEAN, jointly respond to international crimes, and initiate future-oriented cooperation to protect overseas nationals of both countries."

He also introduced Busan in relation to the final vote for the host city of the 2030 World Expo scheduled for November and requested the Thai government's support for Korea's successful bid.

Dumrongsak Kittiprapas, Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, said, "We welcome cooperation with the Korean National Police Agency, which possesses a world-class security system and investigative capabilities. We hope that the two agencies will expand cooperation in various fields centered on police liaison officers."

The National Police Agency plans to utilize the police liaison officers of both countries as a hotline to share information on narcotics movement, block smuggling, and strengthen international joint investigations such as joint investigations planned by both countries.

Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun also met with Moon Seung-hyun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Thailand, to discuss active promotional measures to prevent legal violations by Korean nationals due to the recent legalization of cannabis use in Thailand and to raise awareness. He then visited the Thai Ministry of Transport to build consensus on mutual recognition of English driver's licenses and proposed signing an agreement between the agencies.

The National Police Agency stated, "Commissioner Yoon's visit to the Royal Thai Police Headquarters is expected to serve as an opportunity to block the distribution network originating from Thailand, the largest narcotics smuggling route into Korea, and to strengthen international joint investigation cooperation."