US embassy cable - 03SEOUL5653

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