Cablegate: Republic of Korea: 1998 Annual Terrorism

O 110747Z DEC 98
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5684

UNCLAS SEOUL 007019

S/CT FOR REAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER KS
SUBJECT: REPUBLIC OF KOREA: 1998 ANNUAL TERRORISM
REPORT

REF: STATE 202128

1. (U) NO PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL OR
DOMESTIC TERRORISM WERE CARRIED OUT IN THE REPUBLIC OF
KOREA (ROK) IN 1998, AND THE ROK DID NOT RECEIVE ANY
EXTRADITION REQUESTS FROM OTHER NATIONS FOR SUSPECTED
TERRORISTS. ON DECEMBER 1, 1998, THE ROK NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY RATIFIED THE ROK-U.S. EXTRADITION TREATY; WHEN
THE U.S. RATIFIES THE TREATY, A POTENTIAL IMPEDIMENT TO
THE EXTRADITION OF TERRORIST SUSPECTS WILL BE REMOVED.

2. (U) THE ROKG HAS CONSISTENTLY MADE CLEAR ITS FIRM
OPPOSITION TO ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM, WHILE FOCUSING ITS
COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS ON PREVENTING SUCH ACTS BY THE
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK). THE ROKG
COOPERATES FULLY WITH THE U.S. IN CASES OF POTENTIAL
TERRORIST ACTIVITY. THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT PUBLICLY
CONDEMNED THE TERRORIST BOMBINGS OF U.S. EMBASSIES IN
TANZANIA AND KENYA, AND IN THE AFTERMATH OF THOSE
BOMBINGS, WHEN INFORMATION INDICATED THAT TERRORIST
ACTION MIGHT BE TAKEN AGAINST OFFICIAL U.S. GOVERNMENT
INSTALLATIONS AND/OR PERSONNEL IN THE ROK, THE ROKG
RESPONDED RAPIDLY, REINFORCING THE SECURITY PRESENCE
AROUND U.S. DIPLOMATIC AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND
UNDERTAKING A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE THREATS.
THE ROK'S SECURITY FORCES ALSO CONTINUE EFFORTS TO
IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO HANDLE POSSIBLE TERRORIST
INCIDENTS. IN A RECENT EXERCISE ATTENDED BY FOREIGN
EMBASSY REPRESENTATIVES, A COUNTER TERRORISM TEAM PUT ON
AN IMPRESSIVE DEMONSTRATION OF THE ROKG'S PREPARATIONS TO
DEAL WITH ANY POTENTIAL INCIDENTS AT THE 1999 ASIAN
WINTER GAMES TO BE HELD IN KOREA.

3. (U) THE ROKG DOES NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, AND IT HAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
CHANGED ITS STANCE TOWARD TERRORISM IN THE PAST YEAR. IT
MAINTAINS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH LIBYA, IRAN, IRAQ AND
SUDAN, BUT NOT WITH CUBA, NORTH KOREA OR SYRIA. IT DOES
NOT CONDONE TERRORIST ACTIVITY BY ANY OF THESE COUNTRIES.

BOSWORTH

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