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Workshop on Border Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific
Date: June 9 – 12, 2026 Venue: Jeju, Republic of Korea Organized by UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC and Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO)
Application Process To apply for the workshop, please complete the official online application form at the link below by the deadline. - Application Deadline: May 10, 2026 (Sunday), 23:59 Korea Standard Time
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Background
Border management across the Asia–Pacific region is evolving rapidly in response to growing mobility, digitalisation, and increasingly complex migration dynamics. States are balancing facilitation of legitimate travel and trade with the need to safeguard identity integrity, detect fraud, prevent transnational crime, and manage irregular migration flows.
Recent regional trends — including expanded use of biometric systems, risk-based targeting tools, digital travel documents, and cross-border info-sharing mechanisms — demonstrate a shift toward technology-enabled border governance. At the same time, irregular migration patterns, visa misuse, online-facilitated smuggling, and document fraud present new operational challenges for frontline agencies.
This workshop builds upon established collaboration between the UNITAR CIFAL Jeju and reflects the evolving direction of RSO programming under its 2024–2026 Work Plan. While previous joint activities focused primarily on victim identification and referral, this training adopts a broader systems-based approach to border management.
The workshop reflects the Bali Process Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation, particularly areas relating to law enforcement, border management, information sharing, and coordination. It also contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, advancing SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) — specifically targets 16.2 (end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children), 16.4 (reduce illicit financial and arms flows, and combat organised crime), and 16.a (strengthen national institutions for crime prevention) — as well as SDG 10.7 (facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people).
Objectives
The objectives of the UNITAR CIFAL Jeju - RSO Joint Regional Training Workshop are to:
- Strengthen understanding of modern border management systems and their core components.
- Enhance knowledge of identity verification methods, including document examination and biometric technologies.
- Improve understanding of risk-based assessment and border process design in high-volume and mixed-migration environments.
- Strengthen appreciation of cross-border collaboration and operational information-sharing practices.
- Provide a platform for peer-to-peer exchange between APAC frontline officials.
- Facilitate structured reflection on national system gaps.
Project Description
This four-day in-person workshop combines country presentations, post-workshop project developments, role plays, simulations, discussions and lectures.
The programme includes:
- Core components of moder air border management
- Border process design and risk-based targeting approaches
- Identity verification systems and biometric integration
- Travel document security and fraud detection tools
- Cross-border collaboration practices
- Peer presentations
Special thematic contributions will be delivered by:
- Jeju Immigration Office, Korea Immigration Service (Ministry of Justice)
- Jeju Coast Guard
Participants will engage in practical exercises such as mapping their national border systems and identifying strengths and institutional gaps across the five pillars.
Participants Targeting
Priority will be given to supervisor‑level and mid‑level officials who are directly involved in operational air border management or analytical functions supporting frontline decision‑making, and who are well placed to apply workshop learning within their institutions.
This includes:
- Supervisors and line managers overseeing air border operations, responsible for border process design, operational decision‑making, and frontline implementation.
- Border risk analysts and intelligence officers responsible for passenger risk assessment and the analysis of travel data, including API/PNR and related information.
Facilitators
Facilitators will provide operational, technical, and policy perspectives across:
- UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC
- RSO Bali Process
- Senior border security practitioners from Bali Process Member States
- Thematic experts
Expected Outcomes
In line with the Bali Process mandate and the 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation, the workshop contributes to strengthening national border systems and regional security cooperation across the Asia–Pacific. It also reflects UNITAR CIFAL Jeju’s commitment to capacity development and peer-based knowledge exchange to improve public sector governance. By building the institutional capacity of participating states, the workshop directly supports progress toward SDG 16 and SDG 10.7, contributing to safer, more orderly, and rights-respecting border management across the region.
- Strengthened national border security systems through improved identity verification, document integrity, and risk-based border processes.
- Enhanced ability of frontline agencies to detect and respond to technology-facilitated transnational crime that exploits mobility channels.
- Improved integration of biometric and automation technologies to safeguard border integrity while maintaining operational efficiency.
- Stronger cross-border information sharing and cooperation mechanisms to address evolving irregular migration and criminal networks.
- Greater regional coherence in border management practices across the Asia–Pacific.
- Identification of practical system-level enhancements that reinforce both national resilience and collective regional security.
Contact
For further information regarding the workshop, including participation, programme content, and logistical arrangements, interested officials are invited to contact the focal points listed below.
Jiwon Shin, Programme Officer UNITAR CIFAL Jeju Email: jwshin.jitc@gmail.com | Eun Jung Yi, Programme Manager – Border and Migration Management RSO Bali Process Email: eunjung.yi@rso.baliprocess.net |
Tentative Agenda
This is a tentative agenda and subject to change.
CORE ELEMENTS OF MODERN BORDER MANAGEMENT Day 1 Tuesday, 9 June 2026 |
9:00 – 9:30 (30 min) | Opening Session |
9:30 – 10:50 (80 min) | Modern Border Management Systems The session introduces border management as a system composed of identity verification, border processes, document security, and information use. It explains how these components interact across air, land, and maritime environments, drawing on examples and common gaps observed across Bali Process Member States. |
10:50 – 11:00 (10 min) | Coffee Break |
11:00 – 12:00 (60 min) | Traveller assessment and facilitation at airports Explores how entry and exit procedures are designed and managed at international airports, with a focus on balancing facilitation, border control obligations, and operational efficiency |
12:00 – 13:00 (60 min) | Lunch |
13:00 – 14:20 (80 min) | Identity Verification and Travel Document Control Examines how border officials assess admissibility and intent using travel history, documentation, behavioural indicators |
14:20 – 14:30 (10 min) | Coffee Break |
14:30 – 15:50 (80 min) | Handling Inadmissible Persons and Returns Addresses procedures for identifying, processing, and coordinating the management of inadmissible passengers |
15:50 – 16:00 (10 min) | Coffee Break |
16:00 – 17:00 (60 min) | Country Presentation and Discussion: Mapping of National Border Processes |
| Welcome Dinner |
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Day 2 Wednesday, 10 June 2026 |
9:00 – 10:15 (75 mins) | Country Presentation and Discussion: Mapping of National Border Processes |
10:15 – 10:30 (15 mins) | Break |
10:30 – 11:45 (75 mins) | Expert-led Session and Participant Discussion on Technology and Innovation |
This session explores how emerging technologies are reshaping border management. |
11:45 – 13:00 (75 mins) | Lunch |
13:00 – 14:00 (60 mins) | Departure to Jeju Coast Guard |
14:00 – 15:30 (90 mins) | Site visit to Jeju Coast Guard |
- As a frontline responder to maritime irregular migration in Northeast Asia, the Jeju Coast Guard offers a compelling operational case study. |
15:30 – 16:00 (30 mins) | Departure to Korea Immigration Service |
16:00 – 17:30 (90 mins) | Site visit to Korea Immigration Service |
- Jeju's unique visa-free entry regime has made it a distinctive case in the region, generating complex challenges around irregular stays, mixed migration flows, and identity verification at the point of entry. A visit to the Jeju Immigration Office provides participants with direct insight into how Korean immigration authorities manage these pressures operationally, offering transferable lessons for officials from Bali Process member states facing similar contexts. |
17:30 ~ | Dinner |
|
DATA AND RISK ASSESSMENT Day 3 Thursday, 11 June 2026 |
9:00 – 10:30 (90 min) | Risk at the Border This session introduces the concept of risk in border management. It explains how risks are not always visible and often embedded within normal travel patterns. |
10:30 – 10:40 (10 min) | Coffee Break |
10:40 – 12:00 (80 min) | Using Technology to Support Risk Assessment Participants will understand how technology supports decision-making and where its limitations lie by using tools such as API/PNR, watchlists, alert systems and others. |
12:00 – 13:00 (60 min) | Lunch |
13:00 – 14:20 (80 min) | Managing Risk in Mixed and High-Volume Flows (Part 1) It is critical to identifying indicators of trafficking in persons and other migrants who may be in a vulnerable situation at the border. This session will introduce simulated practices in screening and referring of high-risk travellers. |
14:20 – 14:30 (10 min) | Coffee Break |
14:30 – 15:00 (30 min) | Managing Risk in Mixed and High-Volume Flows (Part 2) |
15:00 – 16:20 (80 min) | Intelligence Cycle This session explains how information and intelligence function in border control work and common gaps, where valuable information is often not recorded, analysed, or shared within the system. |
16:20 – 16:30 (10 min) | Coffee Break |
16:30 – 17:30 (60 min) | Country Presentations |
17:00 - | Dinner |
|
Day 4 Friday, 12 June 2026 |
9:00 – 12:00 (180 min) | Site Visit (TBD) |
12:00 – 13:00 (60 min) | Lunch |
13:00 – 14:00 | Cross-Border Coordination
The session highlights practical forms of cooperation, including communication between counterpart agencies, use of liaison channels, and coordination. |
14:00 – 16:30 | Return-To-Work-Action Plan All participants will present a plan outlining how they will apply key lessons from the workshop in their respective roles and institutions, proposing concrete steps for improvement within their border operational context. In addition to individual plans, the session will be used to identify common priorities and shared challenges across countries. Through peer feedback and discussion, participants will explore areas where similar actions can be taken collectively, including opportunities for cooperation. |
16:30 – 17:30 (60 min) | Closing Ceremony |
17:30 - | Dinner |
Application Process
To apply for the workshop, please complete the official online application form at the link below by the deadline.
Application Deadline: May 10, 2026 (Sunday), 23:59 Korean Standard Time
Official Application Form Link: https://form.jotform.com/261029030238447
The online form consists of several parts. Please be prepared to:
1. Fill out all required fields for your personal and professional information.
2. Complete the following agreements and questionnaire directly within the form:
- Letter of Commitment (e-signature required)
- Acknowledgement, Waiver, and Release of Liability (e-signature required)
- Consent to Collection, Usage, and Disclosure of Personal Information (e-signature required)
- Questionnaire
3. Upload the following documents as files within the form:
- Letter of Nomination (Scanned file with official seal)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Important Notes:
- Only selected applicants will be notified individually.
- Applications will not be considered unless all required sections are completed and all necessary documents are uploaded directly in the form.
- Late applications will not be accepted. The form will automatically close after the deadline.
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.
Point of departure | Airfare Assistance Limit |
Eastern Asia | US$400 (from Mongolia US$650) |
South-Eastern Asia | US$550 (from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar US$750) |
Southern Asia | US$900 (from Bangladesh US$ 950 and from Nepal US$ 1,050) |
Pacific Islands | US$1,200 |
* Other points of departure – please contact UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC |
These amounts are subject to change depending on exchange rate fluctuations and airfare conditions at the time of the workshop.
* Local expenses (transportation between venue and hotel, accommodation, and meals) during the workshop period (only from 9-12 June) will be covered by UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC and RSO.
**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 USD 680, UNITAR CIFAL Jeju will ONLY reimburse you the EXACT amount paid.
Apply Here
Workshop on Border Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific
Date: June 9 – 12, 2026
Venue: Jeju, Republic of Korea
Organized by UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC and Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO)
Application Process
To apply for the workshop, please complete the official online application form at the link below by the deadline.
Background
Border management across the Asia–Pacific region is evolving rapidly in response to growing mobility, digitalisation, and increasingly complex migration dynamics. States are balancing facilitation of legitimate travel and trade with the need to safeguard identity integrity, detect fraud, prevent transnational crime, and manage irregular migration flows.
Recent regional trends — including expanded use of biometric systems, risk-based targeting tools, digital travel documents, and cross-border info-sharing mechanisms — demonstrate a shift toward technology-enabled border governance. At the same time, irregular migration patterns, visa misuse, online-facilitated smuggling, and document fraud present new operational challenges for frontline agencies.
This workshop builds upon established collaboration between the UNITAR CIFAL Jeju and reflects the evolving direction of RSO programming under its 2024–2026 Work Plan. While previous joint activities focused primarily on victim identification and referral, this training adopts a broader systems-based approach to border management.
The workshop reflects the Bali Process Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation, particularly areas relating to law enforcement, border management, information sharing, and coordination. It also contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, advancing SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) — specifically targets 16.2 (end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children), 16.4 (reduce illicit financial and arms flows, and combat organised crime), and 16.a (strengthen national institutions for crime prevention) — as well as SDG 10.7 (facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people).
Objectives
The objectives of the UNITAR CIFAL Jeju - RSO Joint Regional Training Workshop are to:
Project Description
This four-day in-person workshop combines country presentations, post-workshop project developments, role plays, simulations, discussions and lectures.
The programme includes:
Special thematic contributions will be delivered by:
Participants will engage in practical exercises such as mapping their national border systems and identifying strengths and institutional gaps across the five pillars.
Participants Targeting
Priority will be given to supervisor‑level and mid‑level officials who are directly involved in operational air border management or analytical functions supporting frontline decision‑making, and who are well placed to apply workshop learning within their institutions.
This includes:
Facilitators
Facilitators will provide operational, technical, and policy perspectives across:
Expected Outcomes
In line with the Bali Process mandate and the 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation, the workshop contributes to strengthening national border systems and regional security cooperation across the Asia–Pacific. It also reflects UNITAR CIFAL Jeju’s commitment to capacity development and peer-based knowledge exchange to improve public sector governance. By building the institutional capacity of participating states, the workshop directly supports progress toward SDG 16 and SDG 10.7, contributing to safer, more orderly, and rights-respecting border management across the region.
Contact
For further information regarding the workshop, including participation, programme content, and logistical arrangements, interested officials are invited to contact the focal points listed below.
Jiwon Shin,
Programme Officer
UNITAR CIFAL Jeju
Email: jwshin.jitc@gmail.com
Eun Jung Yi,
Programme Manager – Border and Migration Management
RSO Bali Process
Email: eunjung.yi@rso.baliprocess.net
Tentative Agenda
This is a tentative agenda and subject to change.
CORE ELEMENTS OF MODERN BORDER MANAGEMENT
Day 1 Tuesday, 9 June 2026
9:00 – 9:30
(30 min)
Opening Session
9:30 – 10:50
(80 min)
Modern Border Management Systems
The session introduces border management as a system composed of identity verification, border processes, document security, and information use. It explains how these components interact across air, land, and maritime environments, drawing on examples and common gaps observed across Bali Process Member States.
10:50 – 11:00
(10 min)
Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00
(60 min)
Traveller assessment and facilitation at airports
Explores how entry and exit procedures are designed and managed at international airports, with a focus on balancing facilitation, border control obligations, and operational efficiency
12:00 – 13:00
(60 min)
Lunch
13:00 – 14:20
(80 min)
Identity Verification and Travel Document Control
Examines how border officials assess admissibility and intent using travel history, documentation, behavioural indicators
14:20 – 14:30
(10 min)
Coffee Break
14:30 – 15:50
(80 min)
Handling Inadmissible Persons and Returns
Addresses procedures for identifying, processing, and coordinating the management of inadmissible passengers
15:50 – 16:00
(10 min)
Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:00
(60 min)
Country Presentation and Discussion: Mapping of National Border Processes
Welcome Dinner
Day 2 Wednesday, 10 June 2026
9:00 – 10:15
(75 mins)
Country Presentation and Discussion: Mapping of National Border Processes
10:15 – 10:30
(15 mins)
Break
10:30 – 11:45
(75 mins)
Expert-led Session and Participant Discussion on Technology and Innovation
This session explores how emerging technologies are reshaping border management.
11:45 – 13:00
(75 mins)
Lunch
13:00 – 14:00
(60 mins)
Departure to Jeju Coast Guard
14:00 – 15:30
(90 mins)
Site visit to Jeju Coast Guard
- As a frontline responder to maritime irregular migration in Northeast Asia, the Jeju Coast Guard offers a compelling operational case study.
15:30 – 16:00
(30 mins)
Departure to Korea Immigration Service
16:00 – 17:30
(90 mins)
Site visit to Korea Immigration Service
- Jeju's unique visa-free entry regime has made it a distinctive case in the region, generating complex challenges around irregular stays, mixed migration flows, and identity verification at the point of entry. A visit to the Jeju Immigration Office provides participants with direct insight into how Korean immigration authorities manage these pressures operationally, offering transferable lessons for officials from Bali Process member states facing similar contexts.
17:30 ~
Dinner
DATA AND RISK ASSESSMENT
Day 3 Thursday, 11 June 2026
9:00 – 10:30
(90 min)
Risk at the Border
This session introduces the concept of risk in border management. It explains how risks are not always visible and often embedded within normal travel patterns.
10:30 – 10:40
(10 min)
Coffee Break
10:40 – 12:00
(80 min)
Using Technology to Support Risk Assessment
Participants will understand how technology supports decision-making and where its limitations lie by using tools such as API/PNR, watchlists, alert systems and others.
12:00 – 13:00
(60 min)
Lunch
13:00 – 14:20
(80 min)
Managing Risk in Mixed and High-Volume Flows (Part 1)
It is critical to identifying indicators of trafficking in persons and other migrants who may be in a vulnerable situation at the border. This session will introduce simulated practices in screening and referring of high-risk travellers.
14:20 – 14:30
(10 min)
Coffee Break
14:30 – 15:00
(30 min)
Managing Risk in Mixed and High-Volume Flows (Part 2)
15:00 – 16:20
(80 min)
Intelligence Cycle
This session explains how information and intelligence function in border control work and common gaps, where valuable information is often not recorded, analysed, or shared within the system.
16:20 – 16:30
(10 min)
Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:30
(60 min)
Country Presentations
17:00 -
Dinner
Day 4 Friday, 12 June 2026
9:00 – 12:00
(180 min)
Site Visit
(TBD)
12:00 – 13:00
(60 min)
Lunch
13:00 – 14:00
Cross-Border Coordination
The session highlights practical forms of cooperation, including communication between counterpart agencies, use of liaison channels, and coordination.
14:00 – 16:30
Return-To-Work-Action Plan
All participants will present a plan outlining how they will apply key lessons from the workshop in their respective roles and institutions, proposing concrete steps for improvement within their border operational context. In addition to individual plans, the session will be used to identify common priorities and shared challenges across countries. Through peer feedback and discussion, participants will explore areas where similar actions can be taken collectively, including opportunities for cooperation.
16:30 – 17:30
(60 min)
Closing Ceremony
17:30 -
Dinner
Application Process
To apply for the workshop, please complete the official online application form at the link below by the deadline.
Application Deadline: May 10, 2026 (Sunday), 23:59 Korean Standard Time
Official Application Form Link: https://form.jotform.com/261029030238447
The online form consists of several parts. Please be prepared to:
1. Fill out all required fields for your personal and professional information.
2. Complete the following agreements and questionnaire directly within the form:
3. Upload the following documents as files within the form:
Important Notes:
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.
Point of departure
Airfare Assistance Limit
Eastern Asia
US$400 (from Mongolia US$650)
South-Eastern Asia
US$550 (from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar US$750)
Southern Asia
US$900 (from Bangladesh US$ 950 and from Nepal US$ 1,050)
Pacific Islands
US$1,200
* Other points of departure – please contact UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC
These amounts are subject to change depending on exchange rate fluctuations and airfare conditions at the time of the workshop.
* Local expenses (transportation between venue and hotel, accommodation, and meals) during the workshop period (only from 9-12 June) will be covered by UNITAR CIFAL Jeju/JITC and RSO.
**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 USD 680, UNITAR CIFAL Jeju will ONLY reimburse you the EXACT amount paid.
Apply Here