“Korean Olympic Delegation Requires Highest Escort Level”

The South Korean government has recently requested Greece to “enhance its security level for the South Korean Olympic delegation to the highest grade, the same as delegations from the United States and the United Kingdom,” for the 2004 Athens Olympic games, said reporters on July 29. Regarding this, the Greek government reportedly announced that it would review the plan in consideration of the changing situation (of the additional Korean troop dispatch to Iraq).

Park Heung-shin, director-general of the Culture and Foreign Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, met with the press and said, “The Korean delegation to the Athens Olympic Games was categorized at the lowest level out of five guard grades early this year. However, after the death of Kim Sun-il in Iraq, the guard level went up to level three at the request of the Korean government.” He added, “As an additional troop dispatch to Iraq will be launching next month when the Olympic games will be held, we requested the Greek government that the Korean athletes require grade five security, the highest guard level.”

The higher the security threat level, the more the number of security guards will be deployed with more intensified escorts.

“During the Olympic period, six related government agencies, including the National Intelligence Service and National Police, will form a security prevention team and share terror information with other nations in Greece,” said Park. “The advance group of security prevention teams has already arrived in Greece.”

During the Athens Olympic Games, scheduled for August 14-29, a total of 376 Koreans, which include 267 athletes and 109 officers, are planned to be dispatched to Greece.

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com