ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT FOR KOREA

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