Networks
UNODC/UNPNIs
VIRTUAL FORUM AGAINST CYBER CRIME (VFAC)
VFAC is a virtual training platform developed and operated jointly by the Korean Institute of Criminology (KIC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to assist strengthening the capacities of law enforcement authorities, particularly those in developing countries, to prevent, investigate, and prosecute cybercrime on the basis of mandates from the UN General Assembly (Par. 16, A/RES/60/177) in 2005.
History of ‘VFAC’
The Korean Institute of Criminology (KIC) in cooperation with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has prepared the Virtual Forum against Cybercrime The main goal of the Virtual Forum Against Cybercrime is to provide a training program for law-enforcement personnel to combat cybercrime and practical information on cybercrime for researchers and the public at large.
At the same Congress, KIC organized a workshop on Measures to Combat Computer-Related Crime. "The Workshop highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation in combating against cybercrime. In the Workshop, it was noted that; "... Consideration should be given to the establishment of a virtual forum or online research network to encourage communication among experts throughout the world on the issue of computer-related crime; (para.340 (a)). Technical assistance and training should be provided by UNODC (to States) in order to address the lack of capacity and expertise to deal with the problems of computer-related crime. International cooperation should be developed in the areas of information exchange, research and analysis concerning computer-related crime." (A/CONF.203/18, para. 340 (b).
KIC presented the outcome of the Workshop at the 14th session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2005. The Crime Commission noted in its report that; "The observer for the Korean Institute of Criminology made a presentation on the Workshop on Measures to Combat Computer-Related Crime. The Outcome of the Workshop could be practically translated into a proposed technical assistance project on the prevention and control of cybercrime, the scope of which would be the development of a model training course for law enforcement personnel from developing countries with a rolling curriculum that included control and prevention. An expert group meeting was to be held in Seoul in 2006, with the participation of the institutes of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme network and the private sector, to develop the project to produce the model training course. The project would include a virtual expert forum under the auspices of UNODC to facilitate the exchange of information on new trends and approaches in the fight against cybercrime" (E/CN.15/2005/20, para. 52)
To view the archived website of VFAC.
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Virtual Forum Against Cybercrime (2012)
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Report on the KIC Virtual Forum Against Cybercrime Program (2016)
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Subproject 4: Virtual Forum Against Cybercrime (2020)
TOWARDS ASIAJUST
The Towards AsiaJust program aims at establishing a cooperative legal network between Southeast Asian countries to effectively fight against international crime.
The United Nations adopted a treaty, called United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) due to unexpected and unprecedented challenge of growing transnational organized crime. In pursuant to the UNTOC, UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific commenced the Towards AsiaJust program. The program aims at establishing a cooperative legal network in Southeast Asian region to effectively fight against international crime.
More specifically, KIC’s research aimed at enhancing the level of mutual legal assistance, achieving transnational organized justice. For a more efficient and comprehensive research, KIC periodically sent researchers to UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific. Moreover, KIC has participated various workshops and meetings as part of the program.
Another prominent workshop that KIC participated was UNODC-ITU (International Telecommunication Union)’s Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on Asset Recovery and Fighting Cyber Crime in 2011.
RESEARCH
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A Study on Policy Measures of Effective Investigation and Efficient Prediction for Preventing and Responding against Terrorism
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Evolution of the Illicit Drug Market in Southeast Asia and Its Impact on the Republic of Korea: Need for Reexamining Current Drug Policies
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Implementing the Culture of Rule of Law in Asia and the Pacific