By Rachel Lee
A terrorist attack in Jakarta, Thursday, is stoking fears that the Islamic State (IS) group is expanding its global terrorism front — and South Korea is potentially not safe either.
Experts say the incident in Indonesia shows that Asia is not safe from terrorist attacks anymore.
There had already been warnings issued about threats in Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, and the fear is spreading all over Asia including Korea and Japan.
On Friday, the Korea Airports Corp. received a threatening phone call from a person speaking in Arabic.
The man said explosives were placed at every airport in Korea and that “people will all be killed from those explosives,” according to the police.
Such a situation calls for the country to prepare itself for a possible act of terrorism.
After the phone call, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport ordered the 14 airports nationwide, and airlines, to tighten security and safety control.
“What we urgently need is not just counter terrorism training but also the ability to prevent such attacks,” Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, said. “It is essential that we have sufficient resources, which include more police officers and the establishment of a database and screening systems.”
The researcher also said the government needs to set an overall direction for the preparedness within a legal framework.
“We need to come up with a more detailed plan for protection,” he said.
A number of popular spots for shopping and entertainment in the Korean capital, also frequented by crowds of tourists, are, in particular, at a greater risk of terrorist attacks.
Such places include the Coex Mall in Samseong-dong, Gangnam District; Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun market in Jung District; and the Seoul Station in Yongsan District.
IS released a video message last month threatening dozens of countries around the world with deadly attacks similar to those seen in the French capital, where at least 129 people were killed and more than 300 others wounded.
In the video, the group included Korea as one of the 60 target countries on their “Global Coalition” list under IS threat.
The blasts in Indonesia began near a Starbucks outlet in Thamrin Street, a major shopping and business district, killing at least seven people and injuring 20. The country has been attacked by Islamists militants several times including the Bali bombing in 2002.
With regard to the attack, the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs said Korea “strongly condemns the terrorist act that occurred in Jakarta” and “holds the firm and consistent position that terrorism cannot be justified under any circumstances and will take an active part in the efforts of the international community to eradicate terrorism.”