S. Korea to intensify protective steps for its nationals abroad

South Korea will send an on-site inspection team early next year to foreign countries where terrorist attacks are frequent, officials said Wednesday.

It's part of efforts to boost the safety and security of South Korean nationals abroad amid growing terror threats.

The inter-agency team will be dispatched in January but specific regions have yet to be picked. Those are expected to be largely Middle Eastern areas.

The measure was decided at a meeting of representatives from the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the National Intelligence Service, police, and other related authorities.

Participants agreed on the seriousness of terror threats.

"In particular, the Islamic State defined South Korea as a hostile nation twice this year," Deputy Foreign Minister for Overseas Koreans Lee Key-cheol said, presiding over the session. "The likelihood of terror in South Korea is growing and we can't rule out the possibility of terrorist attacks on our nationals abroad."

The government will also intensify efforts to protect Koreans in the Philippines.

Eleven Koreans have been murdered there this year alone.

The number of "Korea Desk" teams in charge of crimes against Koreans inside Filipino police units will double to six, an official said.

"Through consultations with the Filipino government, the government also plans to increase the number of South Korean police officers dispatched to the Korean Desk from two to five," he added.

Around 88,000 South Koreans reside in the Southeast Asian country on a permanent basis, with more than one million others traveling there every year, according to official data.