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Seoul, Washington agree to bolster cooperation against money laundering

Published: 20 Apr. 2026, 14:14

The Financial Services Commission plaque is seen at the government complex in Jongno District, central Seoul on Sept. 7, 2025. [YONHAP]

Korea and the United States have agreed to enhance cooperation to fight money laundering activities in the Asia-Pacific region, Seoul's financial regulator said Monday.

Earlier this week, Lee Hyung-ju, commissioner of the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit, met Andrea Gacki, director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in Washington, according to the Financial Services Commission (FSC).

The Korean unit is under the FSC, which is tasked with countering money laundering, the financing of terrorism and other illegal financial activities.

During the meeting, Lee said the two countries should bolster transnational cooperation in fighting money laundering activities in the Asia-Pacific region, pointing to online scams in some Southeast Asian countries involving Korean nationals.

In particular, antilaundering crackdown efforts should be implemented in cooperation with the private sector for early detection, the regulator said.

In response, Gacki said Korea is an important strategic partner and agreed to raise information exchanges between the two agencies to crack down on various forms of unlawful activities, according to the FSC.

Yonhap