Rapid Response Team for the Middle East Also on Standby
The police have strengthened security near the Embassy of Iran in South Korea in response to worsening tensions in the Middle East.
According to the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul on March 3, the police recently deployed a riot police unit near the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, located in Dongbinggo-dong.
This measure follows the earlier deployment of two officers in front of the embassy in January, after anti-government protests intensified in Iran. The police plan to increase patrols and prepare for any contingencies.
The police are also preparing for the possibility that the government may dispatch a rapid response team to the Middle East. At a regular press briefing on this day, a police official stated, "We are internally preparing in case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or other relevant ministries request a dispatch in relation to the situation in the Middle East."
The National Police Agency operates a 'rapid response team for the protection of overseas nationals' to respond quickly in the event of an emergency abroad. The team consists of 156 members across seven fields, including counter-terrorism. If the government decides to dispatch a rapid response team, members are selected from this pool.
Previously, Prime Minister Kim Minseok requested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police Agency, the National Intelligence Service, and other relevant ministries "immediately dispatch a rapid response team in the event of further deterioration, and prepare transportation plans in advance so that Korean nationals staying locally can safely return to Korea."
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