Cablegate: South Korea: 1992 Annual Terrorism Report

P 040549Z DEC 92
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0269

UNCLAS SEOUL 12720

S/CT FOR REAP

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER KS
SUBJECT: SOUTH KOREA: 1992 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

REF: A) STATE 338430, B) SEOUL 004491

1. SUMMARY. THE ROKG VIEWS ITSELF AS A POTENTIAL TARGET
FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND SHARES A STRONG POLICY
AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WITH THE UNITED STATES.
THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN
1992, AND NO ROKG PROSECUTIONS OR EXTRADITIONS INVOLVING
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THE POLICE IN KOREA CONSIDER
RECURRING INCIDENTS OF STUDENT VIOLENCE TO BE CRIMINAL
ACTS AND NOT TERRORIST EVENTS. THERE HAS BEEN NO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ROKG ATTITUDES TOWARD INTERNATIONAL
OR DOMESTIC TERRORISM SINCE 1991, BUT THE ROKG HAS FAILED
TO REDUCE THE LIBYAN DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN KOREA, AS
STIPULATED IN UNSC RESOLUTION 748. END SUMMARY.

ROK AS A TARGET OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
------------------------------------------
2. THE ROKG SHARES USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL
TERRORIST THREAT, AND OUR POLICIES ON TERRORISM AND
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT. AS
RECENTLY AS 1987, THE ROK WAS THE VICTIM OF INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM SPONSORED BY NORTH KOREA WHICH RESULTED IN THE
DEATHS OF 115 PASSENGERS ABOARD KAL FLIGHT 858. THE
SELF-CONFESSED SABOTEUR OF KAL FLIGHT 858 WAS TRIED AND
SENTENCED TO DEATH, BUT RECEIVED A PRESIDENTIAL PARDON IN
1990 AFTER COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE ROK AND IMPLICATING
NORTH KOREA IN THE BOMBING.

3. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM
IN 1992, AND NO ROKG PROSECUTIONS OR EXTRADITIONS
INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THERE HAS BEEN NO
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ROKG ATTITUDES TOWARD INTERNATIONAL
OR DOMESTIC TERRORISM SINCE 1991.

4. THE POLICE IN KOREA CONSIDER RECURRING INCIDENTS OF
STUDENT VIOLENCE TO BE CRIMINAL ACTS AND NOT TERRORIST
EVENTS. THE ROKG REACTS VIGOROUSLY TO OCCASIONAL ACTS OF
VIOLENCE DIRECTED AT USG FACILITIES IN KOREA WHICH PROVIDE
CONVENIENT TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT PROTESTERS.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RADICAL STUDENT MOVEMENT IN KOREA IS
DIMINISHING WITH PROGRESS TOWARD DEMOCRATIZATION. YET
STUDENTS CONTINUED TO STAGE VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS DURING
1992, USING FIREBOMBS, FOR EXAMPLE, AGAINST THE USIS
LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN SEOUL ON APRIL 19 AND AGAINST RIOT
POLICE IN DEMONSTRATIONS IN SEOUL, INCHON, AND KWANGJU ON
AUGUST 11.

5. ROKG SECURITY AGENCIES CONTINUE TO BE ALERT TO
POSSIBLE TERRORIST THREATS TO U.S. EMBASSY PERSONNEL AND
INSTALLATIONS. THE USG AND ROKG ROUTINELY SHARE
INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL TERRORIST THREATS.

A STRONG POLICY AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
--------------------------------------------- --
6. THE ROKG HAS A STRONG POLICY AGAINST INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM BORNE OF ITS CONCERN OVER NORTH KOREAN TERRORIST
ATTACKS. ON MAY 22, 1992 THREE ARMED NORTH KOREAN
INFILTRATORS WERE INTERCEPTED AND KILLED BY SOUTH KOREAN
SOLDIERS APPROXIMATELY ONE KILOMETER SOUTH OF THE MDL.

7. NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA SIMULTANEOUSLY JOINED THE UNITED
NATIONS AS FULL MEMBERS IN OCTOBER 1991. THE ROKG, WHILE
DECLARING SUPPORT FOR UN SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA, HAS
TAKEN NO STEPS TO REDUCE THE LIBYAN DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN
THE ROK, AS STIPULATED IN UNSC RESOLUTION 748. MOFA
OFFICIALS HAVE SEVERAL TIMES SAID (SEE REF B) THAT THE
ROKG WAS "SERIOUSLY EXAMINING" HOW TO COMPLY WITH THIS
PART OF UNSCR 748 BUT THAT NO DECISIONS HAD BEEN MADE.

8. THE ROKG HAS NOT AND DOES NOT SUPPORT STATE TERRORISM
AND DOES NOT PROVIDE DIPLOMATIC, POLITICAL, FINANCIAL OR
OTHER SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. THE ROKG HAS
NOT MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A
TERRORIST-SUPPORTED COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE.

GREGG

© Scoop Media