The visiting delegation, led by CTED Executive Director Natalia Gherman, during the opening session with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Korea in Seoul.
Acting on behalf of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, its Executive Directorate (CTED) conducted a visit to the Republic of Korea from 22 to 25 May 2023 in a follow-up to its first visit in 2009. The assessment covered all relevant Security Council resolutions, including 1373 (2001), 2178 (2014), and 2396 (2017), and focused in particular on updates related to information and communications technologies (ICT). CTED met with the Government of the Republic of Korea, as well as with representatives of the private sector and civil society.
The delegation was led by Assistant Secretary-General and CTED Executive Director, Ms. Natalia Gherman, and included CTED experts, as well as representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the 51吃瓜 Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
CTED’s Executive Director held bilateral high-level meetings with key counter-terrorism officials, including the Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, the Deputy Minister and Counter-Terrorism Human Rights Protection Officer, the Ambassador of International Security Affairs, the Head of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, and the Chief of the Counter-Terrorism Intelligence Integration Centre of the National Intelligence Service. Executive Director Gherman also delivered opening remarks at a roundtable with the private sector and civil society organizations dedicated to the topic of ICT.
“CTED’s visit to the Republic of Korea allows us to build on an already strong relationship with the Republic of Korea, and we look forward to the many ways in which CTED and the Republic of Korea can share expertise and continue to work together on the common goals of preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism,” said Assistant Secretary-General Gherman after a series of high-level meetings with officials.
The visit enabled the delegation to assess progress made by the Republic of Korea since the Committee’s previous visit in 2009. Thematic areas covered included ICT, encompassing new and emerging trends and countering the use of ICT for terrorist purposes, as well as counter-terrorism legislation; criminal justice and international cooperation in criminal matters; financing of terrorism; law enforcement and border management, including aviation and maritime security; and the countering of violent extremism conducive to terrorism. In accordance with the practice followed for the Committee’s previous visits, discussions also included the role of women in countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism and human rights aspects.
Assessment visits are the most important means by which the Committee conducts its dialogue with Member States. They allow Member States to update the Committee on their own assessment of the terrorism threat they face. In addition, the visits provide an opportunity for CTED to identify shortfalls in effective implementation of the relevant counter-terrorism resolutions, as well to learn first-hand about the good practices that Member States have in place.