Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are advancing at an unprecedented rate, promising transformative potential across a wide array of sectors, from healthcare and education to governance and economic development. Yet, alongside these positive advancements, the rapid proliferation of AI is concurrently giving rise to substantial security and governance challenges that demand urgent attention.

While AI undeniably offers significant efficiency, decision-making, and automation advantages, it's increasingly being exploited by organized criminal networks to facilitate transnational crimes. These emerging AI-enabled transnational crimes manifest in various insidious forms. We're witnessing the use of deepfake technologies for sophisticated fraud and extortion schemes, the deployment of generative AI to power large-scale phishing and social engineering attacks, the development of AI-assisted money laundering operations, and, disturbingly, the abuse of AI tools in human trafficking and child exploitation. The inherently anonymous and borderless nature of cyberspace allows these crimes to proliferate with astonishing speed and scale, frequently outpacing the capabilities of current law enforcement.

These concerning trends are particularly pronounced within the Asia-Pacific region. In the Asia-Pacific region, many nations are eagerly embracing AI-driven innovation to propel their digital economies and foster sustainable growth. The region's expansive digital ecosystem, rapidly growing economies, persistent digital divides, and varied levels of cyber governance create fertile ground for AI-enabled criminal activities. Also, underdeveloped regulatory frameworks and disparities in law enforcement capacities exacerbate the problem. High rates of cross-border data flows, porous digital borders, and the rapidly evolving nature of AI applications make transnational crimes involving AI both frequent and exceedingly complex to address. Despite mounting enforcement efforts, cyber-enabled fraud has continued to intensify. According to UNODC estimates, financial losses from scams targeting East and Southeast Asian victims reached between USD 18 billion and 37 billion in 2023.[1] Furthermore, its studies also report a staggering 1,530 per cent increase in deepfake-related crimes in the Asia-Pacific between 2022 and 2023.[2] On average, organizations in  Asia Pacific faced 1,835 new cyberattacks every week, a figure significantly higher than the global average of 1,248[3]. This challenging environment is further complicated by the fact that cybercriminals often leverage legally and technologically vulnerable nations as bases for activities like ransomware distribution, and illegal server operations, exploiting the physical distance between the crime's origin and its victims to evade international investigations.

In response, many Asia-Pacific governments are adopting multifaceted strategies. For example, Australia published its AI Ethics Principles in 2019 and updated its Voluntary AI Safety Standard in September 2024, establishing 10 “AI guardrails” to ensure systems are safe, secure, and reliable, while Malaysia launched a National AI Office in December 2024 with mandates to develop ethical AI codes, craft a five-year AI strategy, and regulate the responsible use of AI. International organizations such as the United Nations are also playing key roles. UN Women emphasizes the adoption of a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of violence and harmful behaviour in digital environments[4], while the OHCHR recommends bans on AI applications that cannot comply with international human rights law, andmoratoriums on the sale and use of AI systems that carry a high risk of adverse human rights impacts,unless and until adequate safeguards are in place[5]. These initiatives support capacity building, responsible AI governance in criminal justice, and stronger legal cooperation across borders.

Given the rapidly evolving threat landscape, proactive engagement is essential. Early warning systems, international collaboration, and continuous knowledge sharing are critical to keeping pace with emerging AI-enabled transnational crimes. This workshop seeks to provide a timely platform for policymakers, experts, and practitioners to exchange insights, strengthen capacities, and explore innovative policy responses to mitigate these escalating risks across the Asia-Pacific region.Specifically, they will gain insights into and anticipate the evolving trends of emerging AI-enabled transnational organized crimes, learn about the current response strategies and best practices adopted by specialized agencies for each type of crime, cultivate the ability to design appropriate legal frameworks and policies to effectively counter these crimes, and build a robust network with fellow participants and resource persons, thereby laying the groundwork for enhanced international cooperation.

Event Objectives

•         To deepen understanding of how AI is exploited by transnationally organized crime in the Asia-Pacific region across various crime types.

•         To provide a platform for sharing experiences, successful strategies, and lessons learned among diverse stakeholders.

•         To assess existinglegal, enforcement capabilities, and technological gaps, and identify areas for capacity building and harmonizing policies across jurisdictions to ensure a unified and effective response to transnational crimes.

•         To promote partnerships across governments, international organizations, private sector, academia, and civil society for integrated responses.

•         To generate actionable policy recommendations guiding national, regional, local and international responses.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

•         Provide a shared understanding of the AI-enabled crime landscape, new attack vectors, and evolving criminal tactics.

•         Strengthen networks for knowledge sharing, operational coordination, and joint responses, especially on cybercrime and trafficking.

•         Identify innovative policy, technological, and capacity-building solutions addressing regional cybersecurity and AI risks.

•         Develop concrete proposals for public-private partnerships, legal cooperation, and asymmetric defence strategies.

•         Create or design a strategic roadmap guiding future policy, resource allocation, and targeted interventions.

Target Audience

This training is open to relevant policymakers, law enforcement officials, judicial officers, cybersecurity experts, intelligence analysts, and representatives from civil society organizations and the private sectorfrom the Asia Pacific region, who have been engaged in tasks for sustainable development in line with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Programme Structure and Contents

Timetable

*The schedule above is subject to change.

*Each session includes a 15-minute break

Contents Detail

*The contents above are subject to change.

Methodology

The workshop consists of:

•         Expert-led lectures

•         Community/City/Country-level case study sharing

•         Group Activities

•         Field Trips

Application Process

Applicants will be selected by the organizer through a selection process.

Interested applicants must submit the following documents by August 7 (Thursday), 23:59 Korean Standard Timeto:jwshin.jitc@gmail.com

*Kindly note that only selected applicants will be notified individually.

*Applicants without the required documents will NOT be considered.

*Download from the relevant post on http://www.cifaljeju.org/

*Please find the relevant post at our upcoming events for the download.

*Late applications will NOT be accepted.

Assistance with Travel Expenses

UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC provides LIMITED financial assistance with airfare to Jeju-do, Republic of Korea, for participants.

The following table represents the maximum amount of financial assistance for round-trip international airfare to Jeju-do, Republic of Korea to participate in the workshop.

* Local expenses (transportation between venue and hotel, accommodation, and meals) during the workshop period (only from 16September-19September) will be covered by UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC.

**All other expenses (local transportation in their own country, visa fee, local transportation from the airport to the hotel in Jeju before the workshop), including during arrival and departure days, should be covered by the participants.

***If your final airfare is LOWER than the amount stated in the reimbursement table above, UNITAR CIFAL Jeju will ONLY reimburse you the EXACT amount paid.

Event Details

Date, Time and Venue

Date: September 16 – 19, 2025

Time:9:30 – 18:30, TBD

Venue: In Person, Jeju International Peace Institute, Jeju Island

Contact Information

Ms. Jiwon SHIN,

Programme Officer

Tel: 82 64 735 6586

Email: jwshin.jitc@gmail.com or jwshin.jitc@cifaljeju.org