On the eve of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea, heightened security measures are being enforced throughout Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
According to police and other sources on the 28th, the North Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency declared the highest level of emergency duty, known as "Level A Emergency," starting at midnight. Under this status, all police officers’ leave is suspended, and up to 100% of available personnel can be mobilized. The police command system operates both from headquarters and on-site to maintain a 24-hour state of readiness. During the APEC period, up to 19,000 police personnel will be deployed daily in Gyeongju.
At the entrance to the HICO (Hwabaek International Convention Center), which serves as the summit venue, security checkpoints have been established. All vehicles entering the venue must undergo multiple inspection procedures. Detection dogs and security personnel have also been deployed along pedestrian routes to control access and restrict entry by outsiders. Police riot squads, special forces, helicopters, and army armored vehicles have been stationed around the summit accommodations and the convention center. A radius of several kilometers around the venue is effectively off-limits to unauthorized individuals.
The Korea Coast Guard’s operations headquarters has also raised the security level for Bomun Lake and the East Sea maritime areas to "Level A Emergency." Special operations boats and tactical teams are on constant standby in the surface and underwater zones of Bomun Lake to conduct surveillance.
The airspace around the Bomun Tourist Complex has been designated a no-fly zone. Starting today, police and other authorities have announced that any unauthorized flying objects, such as drones, detected in the vicinity of the venue will be shot down without prior warning.
Major tourist attractions where crowds gather, such as Hwangnidan-gil and Daereungwon, have been designated special security zones, with enhanced crime prevention activities underway. Teams have been organized as follows: a seven-member crime prevention assessment team, three special patrol teams totaling 25 members, four detective teams totaling 21 members, and three women and juvenile crime task force teams totaling nine members. All personnel are familiar with the local area. At Gyeongju Station and Hwangnidan-gil, where civic group rallies are scheduled, authorities are maintaining a response posture that allows immediate deployment of personnel in case of emergency.
The fire department has also implemented a 24-hour emergency system to prevent fires and various safety accidents.
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