Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SEOUL4297
2006-12-18 06:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
PURSUIT OF TERRORIST INFORMATION EXCHANGE: ROK
how-toVZCZCXYZ0004 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #4297 3520651 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 180651Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1969
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 004297
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016
TAGS: KVPR PTER PREL PGOV PINR CVIS ASEC KHLS KS
SUBJECT: PURSUIT OF TERRORIST INFORMATION EXCHANGE: ROK
REF: STATE 190832
Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
(U) The following responses are keyed to reftel questions:
A. (SBU) Immigration Databases:
-- The Korean Immigration Bureau (KIB) under the Ministry of
Justice maintains a computerized entry and exit tracking
system called Immigration Control Information System (ICIS).
ICIS is available at all ROK ports of entry (POEs).
-- Post's Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE) evaluates the ICIS system as
effective and on par with systems in most industrialized
countries. The KIB has indicated that budgetary constraints
could impact future software and hardware upgrades.
-- The ICIS database is updated daily.
B. (SBU) Watchlist and Information Sharing:
-- ROK government and law enforcement agencies issue
name-based lookouts that are integrated into ICIS.
-- ICIS contains name-based lookouts for deportees and
immigration violators, terrorist lookouts, and criminal wants
and warrants.
-- Foreign countries that are interested in individuals
traveling through, into, or out of the ROK can request that
the appropriate ROK agency place a lookout in ICIS. There is
no systematic inclusion of international watchlists such as
Interpol or TSA No Fly lists. All requests are reviewed and
included on a case-by-case basis.
-- According to the KIB, there are currently no watchlist
agreements in place.
C. (SBU) Biometrics:
-- The ROK does not currently employ any biometric systems at
its POEs. The KIB recently installed a Machine Readable
Passport system that is capable of scanning the image of the
biographic page of the passport, maintaining entry and exit
records, and automatically cross-checking the biographic
information with ICIS.
-- The ROK does not currently employ any biometric
technologies, but has plans to develop biometric systems
using face, fingerprint, and iris recognition in the future.
-- Currently, the ROK uses a machine readable passport. The
KIB plans to install a Multi-Identifying System for their new
biometric passport in 2007.
D. (C) Embassy advises that the ROK would be an appropriate
partner for increased data sharing. The data maintained by
the ROK is comprehensive and updated daily and is likely to
expand to include biometric data in coming years. The
current ad-hoc system for including U.S. and international
watchlist data in ICIS is cumbersome. At present, Post
shares information on an ad-hoc or informal basis with
various ROK government entities. There is no indication that
the ROK would inappropriately share or use U.S. watchlist
data.
VERSHBOW
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2016
TAGS: KVPR PTER PREL PGOV PINR CVIS ASEC KHLS KS
SUBJECT: PURSUIT OF TERRORIST INFORMATION EXCHANGE: ROK
REF: STATE 190832
Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
(U) The following responses are keyed to reftel questions:
A. (SBU) Immigration Databases:
-- The Korean Immigration Bureau (KIB) under the Ministry of
Justice maintains a computerized entry and exit tracking
system called Immigration Control Information System (ICIS).
ICIS is available at all ROK ports of entry (POEs).
-- Post's Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE) evaluates the ICIS system as
effective and on par with systems in most industrialized
countries. The KIB has indicated that budgetary constraints
could impact future software and hardware upgrades.
-- The ICIS database is updated daily.
B. (SBU) Watchlist and Information Sharing:
-- ROK government and law enforcement agencies issue
name-based lookouts that are integrated into ICIS.
-- ICIS contains name-based lookouts for deportees and
immigration violators, terrorist lookouts, and criminal wants
and warrants.
-- Foreign countries that are interested in individuals
traveling through, into, or out of the ROK can request that
the appropriate ROK agency place a lookout in ICIS. There is
no systematic inclusion of international watchlists such as
Interpol or TSA No Fly lists. All requests are reviewed and
included on a case-by-case basis.
-- According to the KIB, there are currently no watchlist
agreements in place.
C. (SBU) Biometrics:
-- The ROK does not currently employ any biometric systems at
its POEs. The KIB recently installed a Machine Readable
Passport system that is capable of scanning the image of the
biographic page of the passport, maintaining entry and exit
records, and automatically cross-checking the biographic
information with ICIS.
-- The ROK does not currently employ any biometric
technologies, but has plans to develop biometric systems
using face, fingerprint, and iris recognition in the future.
-- Currently, the ROK uses a machine readable passport. The
KIB plans to install a Multi-Identifying System for their new
biometric passport in 2007.
D. (C) Embassy advises that the ROK would be an appropriate
partner for increased data sharing. The data maintained by
the ROK is comprehensive and updated daily and is likely to
expand to include biometric data in coming years. The
current ad-hoc system for including U.S. and international
watchlist data in ICIS is cumbersome. At present, Post
shares information on an ad-hoc or informal basis with
various ROK government entities. There is no indication that
the ROK would inappropriately share or use U.S. watchlist
data.
VERSHBOW