Korean Legation In Iraq Might Be Terrorist Target

Intelligence obtained on Monday revealed that South Koreans in Iraq could be the targets of Iraqi militants. Korea has announced that it would send additional troops to Iraq.

“We have collected intelligence that Iraqi armed forces will carry out terrorist attacks during Christmas and the New Year holidays. In particular, the Korean people and their offices could be the targets,” said an official of the Korean Embassy in Iraq. Hezbollah, which is operating in Syria and Lebanon, may join forces with resistance groups in Iraq and carry out massive terror attacks in the southern part of Iraq where Korean troops are stationed.

Hezbollah, a group of Shiite militants, has followers in Iraq, but intelligence agencies in many countries are having difficulty in taking in the group.

Due to terror threats, the Korean Embassy in Iraq has postponed the opening of a new embassy building in Baghdad, which was scheduled for late this month.

It was reported that Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) would limit its works in Iraq for a while.

Meanwhile, based on terror threats during the holidays, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has raised the national terror alert to code orange, the second-highest level.

“There are concerns for increased terror attacks during Christmas and New Years, but we do not have specific intelligence saying the Korean legation in Iraq is a terrorist target,” said Lee Kwang-jae, director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, adding, “We will continue taking security measures for possible terrorist attacks.”

He also added, “There is a temporary lull in terror attacks since Saddam Hussein’s capture. On average, armed attacks have reduced from 40 cases a day to 20 since December.”

Rae-Jeong Park Young-Sik Kim ecopark@donga.com spear@donga.com