Cablegate: Annual Terrorism Report for Korea

P 280127Z NOV 03
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8275

UNCLAS SEOUL 005653

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

REF: STATE 301352

BELOW ARE EMBASSY SEOUL'S RESPONSES TO REFTEL QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR THE ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT. RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO THE
QUESTIONS FROM REFTEL.

A. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, WHEN NOTIFIED IN OCTOBER THAT
A SHIP APPROACHING PUSAN MIGHT HOLD AL-QAEDA TERRORISTS,
REPUBLIC OF KOREA (ROK) CUSTOMS DETAINED AND SEARCHED THE
SHIP. THE SEARCH AND REVIEW OF CREW DOCUMENTS WAS NEGATIVE.
THE ROK FULLY AND EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTS UN AND U.S. REQUESTS
TO FREEZE THE ASSETS OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. THE ROK,
THROUGH ITS VARIOUS MINISTRIES AND AGENCIES, HAS ALSO MOVED
PROMPTLY TO ACT UPON SUGGESTIONS FROM THE U.S. TO IMPROVE
MONITORING OF FINANCIAL TRANSFERS. SOUTH KOREA HAS SIGNED AND
RATIFIED 10 OF THE 12 UN CONVENTIONS AGAINST TERRORISM. THE
REMAINING TWO CONVENTIONS, THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR
THE SUPPRESSION OF TERRORIST BOMBING AND THE INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTION FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM,
HAVE BEEN SIGNED AND ARE AWAITING RATIFICATION IN THE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY.

B. THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS OF TERRORISM IN SOUTH KOREA
IN 2003.

C/D. THERE HAVE BEEN NO EXTRADITIONS OR REQUESTS FOR
EXTRADITIONS OF TERRRORISTS TO OR FROM SOUTH KOREA DURING
2003. SHOULD SUCH A CASE ARISE, HOWEVER, WE ARE CONFIDENT
THAT THE ROKG WOULD MOVE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO PROSECUTE
AND/OR EXTRADITE SUSPECTED TERRORISTS.

E. THE ROKG REGULARLY DENOUNCES INCIDENTS OF INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM. WHEN ASKED, THE ROK HAS PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS.

F. THE ROK DID NOT UNDERTAKE ANY MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM
EFFORTS IN 2003. PRESS REPORTS INDICATE THAT IN THE WAKE OF
THE BOMBING OF THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN TURKEY, THE ROK
INCREASED SECURITY AROUND THE BRITISH EMBASSY HERE AND
INSTRUCTED ALL ROK GOVERNMENT OFFICES TO INCREASE THEIR
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST TERRORIST ATTACK.

G. N/A.

H. UNDER ITS "PEACE AND PROSPERITY POLICY," THE GOVERNMENT
OF ROK PRESIDENT ROH MOO-HYUN ACTIVELY PURSUES IMPROVED
ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH NORTH KOREA. AT NO TIME, HOWEVER,
HAS SOUTH KOREA EVER VOICED SUPPORT FOR NORTH KOREA ON A
TERRORISM-RELATED ISSUE.

I. N/A

HUBBARD

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