President Park Geun-hye on Sunday pledged to join a global campaign against terrorism as world leaders renewed efforts at a meeting in Turkey to thwart the Islamic State and foreign jihadist fighters in the wake of the Paris attacks claimed by the extremist group.

At the Group of 20 summit in Antalya, she also displayed her resolve to ramp up humanitarian assistance to Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and countries that provide shelter to those who have fled their conflict-stricken homes, calling terror, violent extremism and refugees “issues directly linked with human dignity.” 

“No one is any longer safe from the rise of violent extremists led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the advent of foreign terrorist fighters and the spread of extremist messages on the Internet,” Park said at a dinner session on terrorism and the refugee crisis.

“Our government strongly condemns the terror attacks in Paris and the bombing last month in Ankara as an act of crime against civilization and humanity, and would like to express deep condolences to the victims and the people of France and Turkey.”

With the world reeling from the brutal attacks in Paris over the weekend, terrorism and refugee issues appeared to be dominating the two-day premier economic forum. The forum brought together the leaders of 20 advanced and emerging economies, including U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

To expedite the global drive, Park called for setting in motion a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in September 2014, as well as various bilateral and regional antiterrorism measures, such as those aimed at cutting off terrorist financing.

While striving to close socioeconomic gaps around the world, the international community should urgently formulate a political solution to tackle unbridled instability in Syria, Libya and other transitional countries, she said.

“The massive refugee outflow chiefly stemming from the prolonged Syria crisis is posing a grave challenge to the overall international humanitarian regime,” Park said.

“I believe the G20 should lead the efforts to share burdens and responsibilities being laid on the sources of refugees, their destinations and the countries in between. ... Korea, too, will help resolve the refugee problems by expanding humanitarian aid.”

Park’s remarks came as Seoul seeks to step up its contributions to global challenges as a middle power, bridging the worlds of the rich and poor, and as part of its increasingly multifaceted security partnership with Washington.

On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly last year, she pledged a “thorough” implementation of Resolution 2178 on terrorists and unveiled plans to deploy an additional engineering unit to assist reconstruction and humanitarian activities in conflict zones. Seoul has since been pushing to enact special legislation to facilitate its future overseas dispatch of forces and participation in non-U.N. peacekeeping operations.

Faced with IS threats itself as a staunch U.S. ally, however, her renewed pledge to boost the global antijihadist movement will inevitably be limited, with Seoul opting for financial support or other means rather than participation in military operations.

“We have since been strengthening our psychological readiness, mindful of the possibility of a similar terror here, and rechecked for potential safety hazard factors at key national and military facilities as well as overseas units,” said Joint Chief of Staff spokesman Col. Jeon Ha-kyu at a news briefing Monday.

“We are maintaining close cooperation with the National Intelligence Service, police and other agencies responsible for antiterrorism.”


By Shin Hyon-hee
(heeshin@heraldcorp.com)