Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman refused to put his bag through security check as he left South Korea earlier this week, an airport official said Saturday.

   Liberman was in Seoul for a two-day visit to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations. He left Thursday through Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to Seoul, after denying repeated requests by security officials to put his travel bag through an X-ray check, the airport official said on condition of anonymity.

   Under security regulations, passengers are not allowed to board their planes without passing the examinations. Diplomatic pouches used for carrying official dossiers are marked separately to gain exemption from the rule.

   "The minister's bag did not fall under the exemption category and required a security check as per regulations," said an airport police official who also spoke on condition of anonymity. "In most cases, diplomats also comply well with the security checks, so (the minister's) refusal was unusual."

   In Seoul, Liberman held talks with his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-hwan and discussed ways to boost economic and trade ties, foreign ministry officials said.

(Yonhap News)