Yonhap: S.Korea to intensify protective steps for its nationals abroad

SouthKoreawillsendanon-siteinspectionteamearlynextyeartoforeigncountrieswhereterroristattacksarefrequent,officialssaidWednesday.

It'spartofeffortstoboostthesafetyandsecurityofSouthKoreannationalsabroadamidgrowingterrorthreats.

AccordingtoYonhapNewsAgency,theinter-agencyteamwillbedispatchedinJanuarybutspecificregionshaveyettobepicked.ThoseareexpectedtobelargelyMiddleEasternareas.

ThemeasurewasdecidedatameetingofrepresentativesfromtheForeignMinistry,theDefenseMinistry,theNationalIntelligenceService,police,andotherrelatedauthorities.

Participantsagreedontheseriousnessofterrorthreats.

"Inparticular,theIslamicStatedefinedSouthKoreaasahostilenationtwicethisyear,"DeputyForeignMinisterforOverseasKoreansLeeKey-cheolsaid,presidingoverthesession."ThelikelihoodofterrorinSouthKoreaisgrowingandwecan'truleoutthepossibilityofterroristattacksonournationalsabroad."

ThegovernmentwillalsointensifyeffortstoprotectKoreansinthePhilippines.

ElevenKoreanshavebeenmurderedtherethisyearalone.

Thenumberof"KoreaDesk"teamsinchargeofcrimesagainstKoreansinsideFilipinopoliceunitswilldoubletosix,anofficialsaid.

"ThroughconsultationswiththeFilipinogovernment,thegovernmentalsoplanstoincreasethenumberofSouthKoreanpoliceofficersdispatchedtotheKoreanDeskfromtwotofive,"headded.

Around88,000SouthKoreansresideintheSoutheastAsiancountryonapermanentbasis,withmorethanonemillionotherstravelingthereeveryyear,accordingtoofficialdata.