Police inspect mails, parcels for G20 summit

By Lee Hyo-sik

Police are inspecting all mail and parcels being delivered to Coex, the main venue for next week’s G20 Seoul Summit, for explosives and other dangerous materials after the discovery of small parcel bombs addressed to the leaders of France, Germany and Italy this week.

In cooperation with Korea Post and private logistics companies, law enforcement authorities will also tighten screening of deliveries, particularly those from overseas, to airports and hotels in which leaders of the world’s top 20 economies will stay during the Nov. 11 to 12 summit.

Cargo planes originating from terrorism-sponsoring nations have already been subject to more stringent inspections for possible explosives, following last week’s discovery of bombs aboard U.S.-bound flights from Yemen.

The National Police Agency said Thursday that all mail and packages delivered to businesses located in Korea’s largest convention center and underground shopping mall are subject to x-ray screening for possible bombs and other dangerous items. They then have to be cleared by police officers and sniffer dogs.

Mailmen or delivery personnel are not allowed to bring parcels into the Coex themselves. Recipients must be contacted and come to a designated location to accept mail and packages.

The police also plan to set up x-ray machines and other security-related installations at airports as well as Seoul hotels and other G20 summit venues, to screen for explosives.

The government has raised its alert level for cyber attacks as part of precautionary security measures ahead of the summit, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

Under the measure, related anti-terror government agencies will operate around-the-clock to prevent possible cyber attacks. Public servants are also obliged to change the passwords used in their computers and take additional measures to ensure online security.

Tightening of screening here came after the discoveries of nearly a dozen small parcel bombs targeting European leaders. A package addressed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached her Berlin office on Tuesday, when another for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was found on a courier flight in Italy.

A similar package was found addressed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday in Athens, with several more delivered to the Mexican and other embassies in the ancient city.

Meanwhile, over 10,000 police officers have been mobilized to beef up security at subway stations and other public facilities across Seoul, following recent bomb threats against Coex and airports. Special police teams have also been deployed in and around Coex for emergencies.

On Monday, a Korean man in his 50s called Coex management office and threatened to detonate 50 sticks of dynamite at the multi-purpose facility. Also, several Jeju-bound flights were canceled after a man called Gimpo Airport, saying he had planted bombs on the airplanes.