US embassy cable - 88SEOUL3040

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