S.Korea to withdraw workers from Middle East due to security concerns

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 03, 2003

S.Korea to withdraw workers from Middle East due to security concerns

The South Korean government said Tuesday it would evacuate more than 3,000 workers from the Middle East if the situation in the area further deteriorates, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

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The South Korean government said Tuesday it would evacuate more than 3,000 workers from the Middle East if the situation in the area further deteriorates, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

The decision was made during a cabinet meeting held earlier in the day. Some 3,400 South Koreans are currently working in 11 Middle East countries.

"A recent series of terrorist attacks are signs that international terrorism is flaring. Related organizations should do their best to prevent terrorism, as the people might feel jitters in overseas (working) environments," Prime Minister Goh Kun said.

The move came two days after unidentified gunmen killed two South Korean workers and wounded two others near the Iraqi city ofTikrit, north of capital Baghdad. They are South Korea's first casualties since the US-led war on Iraq broke out in March.

Despite the deaths, Seoul said it would not change its initial plan to send additional troops to help the United States reconstruct the war-devastated country. Hundreds of South Korean army engineers and medics have been operating in Iraq since April this year.

At the high-profile anti-terror meeting, government officials also decided to heighten security measures for major public facilities and international flights, said Yonhap.

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