The Korean Institute of Criminology has solidified its status as a leading national research institute in the field of crime and criminal justice through multidisciplinary research since its establishment. As a member of the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Program Network (UNPNI), the KIC contributes to crime prevention of the international community by strengthening international cooperation with crime and criminal justice-related organizations.
The International Strategic Research Center of the KIC strives to pave the way to significantly raise its status in the international community by setting up the 2018 vision which is designed to ‘research excellence and internationalization’ and ‘dissemination of research findings’. In order to achieve the 2018 vision and specific goals, the International Strategic Research Center adopted ‘a 3-year master plan’. Starting from 2016, the International Strategic Research Center has promoted joint research and development with international organizations in the field of crime and criminal justice and has built a closer network with scholars, experts, and practitioners around the world, expected to accomplish the master plan by 2018.
In the specific detail, the International Strategic Research Center plays an essential role in not only sharing research findings of the KIC in the international community but also introducing recent international research findings and policy trends to the KIC.
The International Strategic Research Center also serves as a platform for networking, creating opportunities for scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the field of crime and criminal justice to build partnerships, which leads the international community to be able to respond to transnational crime.
In modern society, crimes occur beyond national borders and the aspects and elements of crimes have become various and diverse due to the advancements in informational technology and globalization. Therefore, the international community highlights the importance of cooperation among research institutes in order to prevent transnational crime. The International Strategic Research Center builds an international network of crime and criminal justice-related organizations by hosting international conferences, forums, and seminars, and conducting joint research to develop criminal policies. The KIC has a close relationship with distinguished research institutes in Asia-pacific, the Americas, Europe and with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) and UNPNI members. The KIC also signed an MOU with 43 international research institutes, universities, and international organizations in the field of crime and criminal justice. The KIC, selected as one of the secretary institutes of the UNPNI, will keep expanding its contributions to the international community as well as more actively participate in preventing transnational crimes.