Security breached at foreign embassies

The security of two foreign diplomatic missions and an ambassador’s residence in Seoul was breached in June by individuals that witnesses described as mentally disturbed.

In the three unrelated diplomatic incidents, a person who was described as “disturbed” attempted to barge into the diplomatic premises. In all three cases, the security present were overwhelmed and the local police had to be called in to reestablish security and to remove them from the premises.

In one case, at a European diplomatic mission in downtown Seoul, a Korean man, who was described by a source with knowledge of the situation, attempted to force his way into the embassy.

The person surnamed Kim, 23, attempted to force entry into the offices of the diplomatic mission on Tuesday, after the embassy rejected his application for a working holiday visa.

Kim also repeatedly called the office number while standing outside, screaming and causing a public disturbance in front of the entrance. Police were called to the scene to remove him from the office building where the embassy is located.

Kim had a history of aggressive behavior, according to another source. For months, he allegedly stalked an official at the embassy, including following them to their home, calling them at the office and sending online messages. 

South Korean law includes no provision to prevent stalking, including such measures as a restraining order, even if the person has a documented history of such behavior. Police can only charge a suspect with violating the Minor Offences Act, which comes with an 80,000 won fine.

In a separate incident, a Korean man, described by a witness as being in his 40s, climbed 10 meters up a tree stretching into an envoy’s residence on June 20 in Seongbuk-dong, an upscale residential neighborhood that is home to some 30 ambassadors.

In that case, the man declared his intention to commit suicide. Multiple squad cars were called to the scene including a psychologist. Hours later, the distraught individual was coaxed out of the tree and brought into custody. He faces trespassing charges.

A third incident took place on June 9 in Hannam-dong, a diplomatic district in Seoul where dozens of foreign embassies are located. According to diplomatic sources close to the incident, a mentally disturbed woman entered the building where the Paraguayan Embassy is located, screaming and otherwise making a serious public disturbance.

An onsite security guard failed to get her to leave the building that is also shared by the offices of other foreign diplomatic missions. She trapped Paraguayan Ambassador to South Korea Ceferino Valdez in his office preventing him from being able to leave safely. Although embassy staff called the police immediately, they did not arrive at the scene for more than an hour, the source said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it received an official diplomatic note from the Paraguyan Embassy requesting heightened security around its property, but a ministry official said it is “up to the police to decide what measures would be appropriate in that particular circumstance.”

“If these kind of things happen then we usually ask the concerned police, for example, the Yongsan Office, Jung-gu District and Jongno District, so that they are aware of possibilities. They would then usually heighten security measures because in many cases the embassies are close together,” said Seo Bin, director for diplomatic missions under the protocol affairs section of the foreign ministry. “I cannot guarantee that nothing will happen again ever.”

The three cases are unrelated to one another, according to diplomatic sources. But some foreign envoys have said privately that security around diplomatic missions is inadequate.

For her part, Seo insisted that the ministry cares about the security around diplomatic missions.

“It is very important. If something happens at a foreign mission it is against the Vienna Convention,” she said. “So it is very important. We need to protect the foreign missions here. So, this is of the utmost importance to the ministry.”

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)