US embassy cable - 94SEOUL9874

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 009874 
 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12356: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, KS 
SUBJECT:  SOUTH KOREA:  1994 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
1. SUMMARY.  (U)  THE ROKG VIEWS ITSELF AS A POTENTIAL 
TARGET FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND SHARES A STRONG 
POLICY AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WITH THE UNITED 
STATES.  THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC 
TERORISM IN 1994, AND NO ROKG PROSECUTIONS OR EXTRADITIONS 
INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  THE POLICE IN KOREA 
CONSIDER RECURRING INCIDENTS OF STUDENT VIOLENCE TO BE 
CRIMINAL ACTS AND NOT TERRORIST EVENTS.  THERE HAS BEEN NO 
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ROKG ATTITUDES TOWARD INTERNATIONAL 
OR DOMESTIC TERRORISM SINCE 1993.  THE ROKG HAS NOT TAKEN 
STEPS TO REDUCE THE LIBYAN DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN KOREA, 
AS STIPULATED IN UNSC RESOLUTION 748, ALTHOUGH THE TOTAL 
NUMBER OF LIBYAN DIPLOMATS HAS GONE DOWN THROUGH 
ATTRITION.  END SUMMARY. 
 
ROK AS A TARGET OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
------------------------------------------ 
 
2.  (U) THE ROKG SHARES USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST THREAT, AND OUR POLICIES ON 
TERRORISM AND TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE GENERALLY IN 
AGREEMENT.  AS RECENTLY AS 1987, THE ROK WAS THE VICTIM OF 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM SPONSORED BY NORTH KOREA, WHICH 
RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF 115 PASSENGERS ABOARD KAL FLIGHT 
858.  THE SELF-CONFESSED SABOTEUR OF KAL FLIGHT 858 WAS 
TRIED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH, BUT RECEIVED A PRESIDENTIAL 
PARDON IN 1990 AFTER COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE ROK AND 
IMPLICATING NORTH KOREA IN THE BOMBING. 
 
3.  (U) THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC 
TERRORISM IN 1994, AND NO ROKG PROSECUTIONS OR 
EXTRADITIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  THERE HAS 
BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ROKG ATTITUDES TOWARD 
INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC TERRORISM SINCE 1993. 
 
4.  (U) THE POLICE IN KOREA CONSIDER RECURRING INCIDENTS 
OF STUDENT VIOLENCE TO BE CRIMINAL ACTS AND NOT TERRORIST 
EVENTS. THE ROKG RESPONDS TO OCCASIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS 
DIRECTED AT USG FACILITIES IN KOREA THAT PROVIDE 
CONVENIENT TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT PROTESTERS. 
THE INFLUENCE OF THE RADICAL STUDENT MOVEMENT IN KOREA 
CONTINUES TO DIMINISH IN KEEPING WITH DEMOCRATIZATION. 
STUDENTS CONTINUED TO STAGE DEMONSTRATIONS DURING 1994, 
USING FIREBOMBS, IN ONE INSTANCE, AGAINST KOREAN POLICE 
STATIONS. 
 
5.  (C) THE ROK HAS SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL LINKS AND 
CORDIAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH LIBYA AND IRAN AND 
THEREFORE THE ROKG DOES NOT CONSIDER THESE COUNTRIES 
LIKELY TO CONDUCT TERRORIST OPERATIONS IN SOUTH KOREA. 
NETHERTHELESS, ROKG SECURITY AGENCIES CONTINUE TO BE ALERT 
TO POSSIBLE TERRORIST THREATS TO U.S. EMBASSY PERSONNEL 
AND INSTALLATIONS.  THE USG AND ROKG ROUTINELY SHARE 
INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL TERRORIST THREATS. 
 
6.  (U) NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA SIMULTANEOUSLY JOINED THE 
UNITED NATIONS AS FULL MEMBERS IN OCTOBER 1991.  THE ROKG, 
WHILE DECLARING SUPPORT FOR UN SANCTIONS AGAINST LIBYA, 
HAS TAKEN NO STEPS TO REDUCE THE LIBYAN DIPLOMATIC 
PRESENCE IN THE ROK, AS STIPULATED IN UNSC RESOLUTION 748, 
ALTHOUGH THE LIBYAN PRESENCE HAS GONE DOWN TO SEVEN 
PERSONS FROM THE EIGHT WHO WERE HERE IN MAY 1992. 
 
A STRONG POLICY AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
7.  (U) THE ROKG HAS A STRONG POLICY AGAINST INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM BORNE OF ITS CONCERN OVER NORTH KOREAN TERRORIST 
ATTACKS. 
 
8.  (U) THE ROKG HAS NOT AND DOES NOT SUPPORT STATE 
TERRORISM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE DIPLOMATIC, POLITICAL, 
FINANCIAL OR OTHER SUPPORT FOR INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. 
THE ROKG HAS NOT MADE ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF A 
TERRORIST-SUPPORTED COUNTRY ON A TERRORISM ISSUE. 
 
 
LANEY