President Park Geun-hye called on the police Friday to thwart any possible terrorist attempts by North Korea amid rising tension on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea believes that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered officials to concentrate on building capabilities for terror attacks and cyberattacks against the South.
Tensions have spiked on the peninsula over North Korea's fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and long-range rocket launch on Feb. 7.
"I hope that the police will deal effectively with any possible terrorist attempt," Park said in a graduation and commissioning ceremony at Korean National Police University in Asan, about 100 kilometers south of Seoul.
Besides the North Korean threat, Seoul deported 53 foreigners in recent months for possible affiliations with terrorist groups.
The chief executive then called on the police to establish law and order, saying the eradication of corruption and the fair enforcement of the law can reduce social costs and boost efforts to revitalize the economy.
Park also asked the police to cut the vicious circle of violence, noting a series of recent incidents of child abuse, focusing on the blind spots in public order. (Yonhap)