200 Syrian refugees enter S.Korea by plane: intelligence agency

A total of 200 Syrian refugees have entered South Korea by plane, with some under investigation for continued stay and others on the standby at the airport, South Korea's intelligence agency said Wednesday.

Among the 200 Syrians, 135 have won a semi-refugee status allowing a temporary stay for humanitarian purpose. The Justice Ministry is examining whether to let them continue to stay in South Korea.

The remaining 65 have been standing by at the airport under the thorough supervision of the authorities.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported it during an emergency meeting of the parliamentary intelligence committee that was held to discuss countermeasures against possible terrorist attacks, local media said citing the two lawmakers briefed on it.

The meeting was held amid rising concerns here about terrorism following a series of terrorist attacks in Paris that killed more than a hundred and wounded several hundred others.

The NIS said that the Islamic State (IS) has included South Korea in the list of the so-called crusaders alliance as targets of terrorist attacks. The spy agency said that IS followers have been found among some of young South Koreans and Muslim workers here.

Ten South Koreans have publicly supported the IS militant group via the Internet, but the NIS had yet to confirm their identity due to lack of legislations allowing the intelligence agency to identify such followers.

In the past five years, the NIS has deported 48 foreigners, classified as dangerous figures due to their links to the terrorist groups or possibility for terrorist attacks. Enditem