Members of the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre at the Oxford Martin School are used to travelling to far-flung destinations to share their expertise, but the end of 2014 saw the centre instead playing host, when members of South Korea's National Police Agency (KNPA) arrived in Oxford for a two-month academic visit.
Inspector Sang-heyob Ko, Detective Inspector Bo-young Lim, and Forensic Examiner Yong-Ho Choi were researching ways to improve South Korea’s cybercrime and digital forensics capacity-building programmes, by studying how the UK and international organisations approach the issue.
Detective Inspector Bo-young Lim said: "Cybersecurity is one of the many big global challenges we face that requires not only international co-operation, but also close collaboration and information-sharing between public and private sectors, practitioners and academics.
"For us at the Korean National Police Agency, it was an inspiring opportunity for us to work closely with the professional researchers of the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre in the Oxford Martin School, and my colleagues and I have been most privileged to be hosted by one of the world's leading multidisciplinary research institutes."
Dr Erwin Dotzauer from the Global Cyber Security Centre Capacity, who worked closely with the team during their time in the UK, added: “Cyber security risks are becoming more severe, widespread and globalised, and are urgent global challenges facing the international community as a whole. In order for countries to coexist in cyberspace and share its benefit to a maximum extent, it is essential to acknowledge different values, build mutual trust and work hand-in-hand to counteract the challenges.
"The Global Cyber Security Centre Capacity is strongly committed to actively strengthening co-operation and mutual assistance with those working around the globe to address these risks and maintain a safe and reliable cyberspace”.