July 18, 2006
HP-18

Statement by Treasury Under Secretary Levey Upon Departure from Seoul

SEOUL, KOREA – Stuart Levey, the U.S. Treasury Department's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI), made the following statement today upon his departure from Seoul:

"Today, I concluded the first leg of a long-planned trip to Asia to meet with my counterparts to discuss ongoing issues of concern to the region and the greater international community. While in Seoul, I met with officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Korean Financial Intelligence Unit, and the National Security Council to discuss issues of common interest, including the new United Nations Security Council Resolution that requires all member states to prevent the transfer of any financial resources in relation to DPRK's missile or WMD programs.

"My colleagues and I shared views on ways to safeguard the global financial sector from illicit conduct, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, money laundering, and terrorist financing. Our discussions were productive and educational, and I look forward to continuing the dialogue between the United States and our partners in the Republic of Korea.

"As the week progresses, I look forward to meeting with my counterparts in Vietnam, Japan, and Singapore to also discuss ways to strengthen the international financial system from abuse by proliferators, terrorists, narcotics traffickers, and other illicit actors," said Levey.

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