36,000 foreigners banned from entering Korea over potential danger to Olympics

By Park Si-soo

South Korea has banned 36,000 foreigners from entering in a pre-emptive anti-terror action for the upcoming winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) selected the foreigners in collaboration with its foreign partners, Rep. Lee Wan-yong of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party told reporters after an NIS briefing.

The ban is the latest in a series of anti-terror actions implemented ahead of the Olympics, which will begin on Friday. In December, the government deported 17 foreigners, including unidentified ones from Southeast and Central Asia, over their potential threat to the Games.

“An ad-hoc anti-terror department including officials from 17 government bodies has been operating since Jan. 29,” the lawmaker said. “They are collecting and analyzing intelligence regarding international terror groups in cooperation with foreign spy agencies.

“In the process, we have singled out about 36,000 ‘dangerous’ foreigners and banned them from entering the country.”

He said 60,000 people, including 5,000 armed forces personnel, will guard venues, athletes’ villages and other Olympics-related facilities during the Games.

The government has also tightened security at airports and train stations across the country.