Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will attend the conference on fighting violent extremism slated for Thursday (local time) that will bring together government officials from 60 nations, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. Cho will leave for Washington on Wednesday for a four-day visit.
The conference to be hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to emphasize the global community's concerted efforts to curb extreme violence at a time when concerns are deepening over terrorist acts and a rise in foreign terrorist fighters.
A day earlier, a White House-hosted forum that will be attended by people from civic groups on the same topic will be held, officials added.
The White House said last month that it will host a summit on fighting violent extremism in February "to highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the U.S. and abroad to commit acts of violence."
"The Korean government plans to express its support to counter violent extremism at the conference that will also serve as an occasion for Seoul to come up with its own measures to fight it," said a foreign ministry official, asking not to be named.
The conference comes amid growing concerns and alertness against terrorist acts, including the deadly attacks in Paris early last month and in Copenhagen on Saturday.
The Muslim extremist group Islamic State (IS) has captured a wide swath of Syria and Iraq, shocking the global community by brutally killing hostages from Western countries and Japan.
In September last year, the United Nations Security Council adopted the resolution 2178 slamming violent extremism and calling on cooperation on preventing travel and support for foreign terrorist fighters.
Also last week, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for choking financing of IS that comes from oil smuggling.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Cho plans to have talks with Catherine Novelli, U.S. undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, and Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler to discuss Seoul's possible joining of the U.S.-led regional trade pact, named the Trans-Pacific Partnership. (Yonhap)
