Amid concerns over public safety from the Constitutional Court and others ahead of President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial, Acting President and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok said, "The Korean National Police Agency, the National Intelligence Service, and other related agencies should maintain a sense of urgency and prepare thoroughly in advance to prevent any unfortunate incidents from occurring."
On the 7th, Acting President Choi held the 20th National Terror Response Committee meeting at the Government Seoul Building in Jongno, Seoul, and stated, "I understand there are concerns regarding threats to important national institutions and key figures."
He stated, "In particular, related agencies such as the Korean National Police Agency should mobilize all available personnel and resources to enhance safety management of key facilities and establish a close cooperation system with related agencies such as the Prime Minister's Office to respond organically among agencies."
Acting President Choi emphasized, "We are at a point where the terrorist situation domestically and internationally is diversifying." He continued, "Abroad, online propaganda and incitement of the Islamic State (ISIS) are strengthening, while violent extremism is spreading; therefore, incidents of terrorism using technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and 3D printing, as well as attacks using everyday tools such as vehicle ramming, are becoming frequent."
He noted, "Domestically, the possibility of infiltration by individuals posing a terror risk connected with international terrorist organizations is increasing," adding, "There is a growing need to proactively address the threat of terrorism due to the spread of violent extremism fueled by instigation and propaganda related to major issues and conflicts."
Acting President Choi mentioned, "In today's meeting, we will discuss the '2025 Counter-Terrorism Activities Implementation Plan' reflecting changes in the terrorist situation, as well as outline the direction for future mid-to-long-term counter-terrorism policy in the 'Second National Counter-Terrorism Basic Plan'" and suggested that "we need to strengthen our preparedness against terrorist threats through discussions on measures such as establishing 'counter-terrorism education and training guidelines' to enhance the training and education system of counter-terrorism activities."
He added, "This year, important events such as the '2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit' are scheduled," and urged related agencies to thoroughly establish safety management measures to actively support the smooth conduct of the meetings and to conduct comprehensive national counter-terrorism training in Gyeongju in the latter half of the year to enhance on-site counter-terrorism capabilities.