REPUBLIC OF KOREA: 1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT

UNCLAS SEOUL 03040 S/CT FOR WHARTON E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PTER KS SUBJECT: REPUBLIC OF KOREA: 1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT REF: STATE 42378 ¶1. UNCLASSIFIED SECTION FOR THE REPORT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA FOLLOWS: ¶I. REVIEW OF MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN, INCLUDING STEPS TAKEN IN INTERNATIONAL FORA. ¶A. INTRODUCTION AFTER YEARS OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING INFILTRATION BY NORTH KOREAN COMMANDO TEAMS AND AGENTS, AND HAVING SUFFERED TERRORIST ATTACKS SUCH AS THE 1983 RANGOON BOMBING, THE ROKG IS CONCERNED OVER TERRORISM. THAT CONCERN HAS HEIGHTENED IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 1988 SUMMER OLYMPICS TO BE HELD IN SEOUL AND WITH THE NOVEMBER 1987 DESTRUCTION OF KA 858 BY A CONFESSED NORTH KOREAN AGENT. PLANNING FOR THE OLYMPICS HAS ENCOURAGED THE ROKG TO CONSIDER TERRORISM FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, ALTHOUGH NORTH KOREA AND PRO-NORTH KOREAN GROUPS BASED IN JAPAN SUCH AS THE CHOSEN SOREN WILL CONTINUE AS THE PREDOMINANT FOCUS OF THEIR ATTENTION. ¶B. MAJOR STEPS TAKEN 1)BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. THE ROKG AND USG HELD BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS ON TERRORISM IN WASHINGTON IN SEPTEMBER OF 1987. THE DISCUSSIONS LED TO BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH SIDE'S ORGANIZATION FOR DEALING WITH TERRORISM AND TO SPECIFIC COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR INFORMATION SHARING, TRAINING, AND MILITARY PREPAREDNESS. CLASSIFIED SOURCE MATERIAL: 1) SEPTEL. 2) DETAILS OF THE AGENDA OF THIS MEETING SHOULD BE ON FILE IN S/CT. 3) 87 STATE 311198 CONTAINS A PRELIMINARY READOUT ON THE CONSULTATIONS 4) 87 STATE 371296 OUTLINES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COOPERATIVE ACTION AMONG A VARIETY OF ROKG AND USG AGENCIES, ALMOST ALL OF WHICH ARE NOW IN PLACE. 2)BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH JAPAN JAPAN HAS AGREED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT ROK-JAPAN COMMITTEE WHICH WILL MEET ON A BIMONTHLY BASIS TO COORDINATE ANTITERRORISM COOPERATION RELATED TO THE OLYMPICS. FINAL MINISTERIAL DISCUSSIONS ON ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMITTEE TAKE PLACE ON 20 MARCH 1988. 3)UNITED NATIONS ACTIVITIES THE ROKG IS LIMITED TO OBSERVER STATUS IN THE UNITED NATIONS BUT IS SUPPORTIVE OF MEASURES AGAINST TERRORISM. IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH US IT INTRODUCED THE DESTRUCTION OF KA 858 INTO THE SECURITY COUNCIL FOR DEBATE, AND ITS CAREFULLY MARSHALLED ARGUMENTS CONTRIBUTED IMPORTANTLY TO THAT BODY'S UNDERSTANDING OF NORTH KOREA'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACT. II. RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, INCLUDING EXTRADITION REQUESTS, WITH RESPECT TO MATTERS RELATING TO TERRORISM AFFECTING AMERICAN CITIZENS OR FACILITIES. THE U.S. HAS NO EXTRADITION TREATY WITH THE ROKG. ALTHOUGH WE SUSPECT THAT THE ROKG WOULD BE WILLING TO CONSIDER THE EXTRADITION OF TERRORISTS TO THE U.S. ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS (SEE SEPTEL),WE CANNOT EXPECT THAT TERRORISTS GUILTY OF ACTIONS AGAINST AMERICAN CITIZENS OR FACILITIES WOULD BE EXTRADITED AS A MATTER OF COURSE. III. THE ROKG OFFERS NO SUPPORT, POLITICAL, FINANCIAL OR DIPLOMATIC, FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. IT SUPPORTS NEITHER THE PLO OR FMLN. LILLEY