South Korea is taking increased security measures to prevent a potential attack from the Islamic State (IS), after the country’s intelligence agency warned that the terrorist group may be targeting both U.S. military installations and civilians on the Korean peninsula.
(VOA)- The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) Sunday said that IS released a list of potential terrorist targets that include the locations of 77 Air Force installations belonging to the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 21 countries, and also important individuals associated with them.
Four of the military installations on the list of IS targets are in South Korea. The NIS reported the list included detailed geographical coordinates and satellite images from Google Maps of U.S. Air Force bases in Osan, in Gyeonggi and Gunsan in North Jeolla.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday Seoul is sharing intelligence and closely coordinating with U.S. military officials on the potential terrorist treat.
“In order to strengthen the defense of the bases of the USFK (U.S. Forces in Korea), we will provide support if they request through cooperation with the Combined Forces Command,” said Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Jeon Ha-gyu.
The NIS noted that South Korea has deported 50 people linked to terrorist groups in the last year.
In 2015 an alleged Indonesian a member of a terrorist group affiliated with IS called Al Nusra spent eight months in prison on terrorism charges. Police said the man entered the country on a false passport, possessed an illegal rifle in his home, and his bank account was linked to an Islamic extremist group.
The NIS noted that the counterterrorism center to be used to monitor terrorist groups was recently authorized under the passage of the Anti-Terrorism law by the National Assembly in March.