US embassy cable - 88SEOUL3039

S E C R E T SEOUL 03039 
 
S/CT FOR WHARTON 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:  OADR 
TAGS:  PTER, KS 
SUBJECT:  REPUBLIC OF KOREA:  1987 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 42378 
 
1.  SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  CLASSIFIED SECTION FOR THE REPORT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF 
KOREA FOLLOWS: 
 
U.S.-ROK BILATERAL COOPERATION: 
------------------------------ 
 
3.  ROK COUNTERTERRORISM UNITS TRAINED WITH U.S. CT FORCES 
ON MANY OCCASIONS IN 1988.  THE JADE NUGGET EXERCISE IN 
JUNE INCLUDED ROKG PLAYER AND OBSERVER CELLS.  A SIMILAR 
THOUGH MORE ELABORATE ROK-US EXERCISE, JADE NUGGET 88, IS 
PLANNED FOR JUNE OF THIS YEAR.  EXERCISE IVY CRAWLER IN 
OCTOBER 1987 WAS AN EXTREMELY INVOLVED ROK-US EFFORT.  THE 
SCENARIO POSITED THREE TERRORIST SITES IN COMMUNICATION 
WITH ONE ANOTHER AND REQUIRED BOTH GOVERNMENTAL AND 
MILITARY COORDINATION.  U.S. FORCES TOOK DOWN ONE SITE, 
ROK FORCES ANOTHER, WHILE AN INTEGRATED FORCE TOOK DOWN THE 
THIRD.  IT WAS A COMPLEX EXERCISE AND OF GREAT VALUE IN 
EVALUATING UNILATERAL AND COOPERATIVE METHODS AND 
CAPABILITIES.  FURTHER MILITARY COOPERATION INCLUDED FIVE 
SMALL UNIT EXCHANGE/TRAINING EXERCISES, BOMB DOG, AND 
EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE DEMOLITION TRAINING. 
 
4.  THE USG HAS ALSO PROVIDED COUNTERTERRORISM ASSISTANCE 
AND TRAINING THROUGH A VARIETY OF AGENCIES INCLUDING 
CUSTOMS, INS, FBI, FAA, AND SIRO (S/NF).  FURTHER DETAILS 
OF SIRO (S/NF) COUNTERTERRORISM ASSISTANCE TO THE ROK ARE 
RESTRICTED TO SIRO (S/NF) REPORTING CHANNELS. 
 
JUDICIAL RESPONSE: 
----------------- 
 
5.  DURING EXERCISE IVY CRAWLER, ROK OFFICIALS RESISTED 
ATTEMPTS BY U.S. PLAYERS TO TRY TO EXERCISE LEGAL 
JURISDICTION OVER TERRORISTS ACTING AGAINST U.S. CITIZENS 
ON A U.S. INSTALLATION AND CAPTURED BY U.S. FORCES.  WHILE 
THIS EXAMPLE OF EXERCISE PLAY CANNOT BE TAKEN AS AN 
OFFICIAL ROKG POSITION AS HIGH-LEVEL ROKG DECISION-MAKERS 
DID NOT TAKE PART, WE BELIEVE IT A LIKELY RESPONSE. 
NONETHELESS, SHOULD THE ROKG DECIDE NOT TO EXTRADITE THE 
USG WOULD PROBABLY FIND A KOREAN LEGAL DECISION 
ACCEPTABLE, AS ROKG AND U.S. POLICIES ON TERRORISM AND 
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT. 
 
NORTH KOREA: 
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6.  WE ASSUME THAT PREPARATION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT 
ON NORTH KOREA CAN BEST BE PREPARED IN WASHINGTON. 
 
 
LILLEY