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S. Korea tightens security of U.S. air bases after IS threats

Xinhua, June 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Korea has strengthened security and guards around U.S. air bases after the country's spy agency reported that the Islamic State (IS) group had included the U.S. facilities in South Korea as its target of terrorist attacks.

South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn ordered officials on Monday to tighten guards around the U.S. air force facilities in Gunsan and Osan, which were targeted by the militant group for its terrorist attacks, and to review anti-terrorism preparedness for the installations of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and diplomatic missions.

His remarks came after the National Intelligence Service (NIS), South Korea's spy agency, said in a statement that the IS group instigated terrorist attacks by designating the U.S. air force bases in the country and a South Korean national as terror targets.

According to the NIS, the IS group recently unveiled mapped locations of 77 air force bases of the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and personal information on civilians of 21 countries, which were earned through its own hacking unit the United Cyber Caliphate, through the Internet messenger program Telegram.

The revelations included map coordinates of the U.S. air force bases in Osan, a city some 40 km south of South Korea's capital Seoul, and the southwestern city of Gunsan as well as personal information on a South Korean national who works at a local welfare group.

South Korean police and military have stepped up anti-terrorism preparedness for the targeted facilities and the civilian. According to local media reports, police increased the number of security forces around the Osan air base from 60 to 90, while raising patrol hours from 12 hours per day to 24 hours.

Police dispatched a company of 90 security forces around the USFK barracks located in the north Gyeonggi province, while strengthening patrol duties around mosques and foreign residential districts.

The NIS reported to lawmakers on Monday that it will devise anti-terrorism measures in cooperation with the military and police by the end of this month. Endit