Summary

A panel of cybersecurity experts, North Korean defectors, and human rights advocates will discuss how legal frameworks could curb online scams and fraud. The event, hosted by the Stimson Center, coincides with the launch of three publications analyzing legal strategies to combat scam networks that span Southeast Asia, exploit forced labor, and launder money through complex financial systems. While ASEAN and governments have drafted laws targeting cybercrime, anti-trafficking, and money laundering, uneven enforcement leaves scams thriving. Speakers will spotlight gaps in accountability and propose reforms, including cross-border cooperation and integrating human rights perspectives. Mina Chiang, a modern slavery expert, and IJM Thailand’s Andrew Wasuwongse will stress the link between scam operations and criminalized workers. The session also features Jihyang Kim, a North Korean defector focusing on education, and Gumhyok Kim, who escaped Pyongyang after exposing human rights abuses. Organized by the Stimson Center with funding from Canada’s Global Affairs department, the event precedes analyst Jihyang Kim’s research on educational equity and Hyunseung Lee’s strategy on Korean unification. Moderators include Jenny Town (38 North) and Courtney Weatherby (Mekong region analysis). Attendees warned that scams aren’t just petty crimes – they underpin transnational exploitation networks. Real-world impact includes victims losing life savings and workers trafficked into forced labor roles.