![Prime Minister Kim Min-seok speaks during an emergency economic meeting at the Government Seoul Building in Jongno, Seoul, on May 13. [Photo: Yonhap News]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/05/15/20260515173507956503.jpg)
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok speaks during an emergency economic meeting at the Government Seoul Building in Jongno, Seoul, on May 13. [Photo: Yonhap News]
The government is reforming the Counterterrorism Center, currently under the Prime Minister's office, into the National Counterterrorism Headquarters.
On May 15, a final report meeting of the public-private counterterrorism task force was held at the Government Seoul Building, chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, where the reform was confirmed.
The National Counterterrorism Headquarters will serve as a central control tower overseeing and coordinating government-wide counterterrorism activities. Plans include expanding the recruitment of private experts, implementing a long-term employment system, and enhancing preventive and response systems using technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analysis, and drones.
In the event of a terrorist incident, a unified command system led by the police will ensure efficient responses.
Additionally, new threats such as drone and unmanned aerial vehicle risks will be explicitly categorized as types of terrorism, and the criteria for defining terrorism will be clarified.
The National Counterterrorism Committee will be granted the authority and procedures to directly designate and declassify domestic terrorist organizations. The training and education system will also be improved.
Furthermore, plans will be pursued for regional joint national training, central-local cooperation bodies, reflecting field demands for counterterrorism equipment, establishing budget coordination systems, and building strategic cooperation with key overseas institutions.
Prime Minister Kim stated, "New types of risks continue to increase, including traditional terrorist threats, the spread of extremism in online spaces, crimes motivated against unspecified individuals, and risks utilizing new technologies such as drones. We will create a national response system that proactively addresses the changing terrorism environment so that citizens can feel safe in their daily lives."
On May 15, a final report meeting of the public-private counterterrorism task force was held at the Government Seoul Building, chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, where the reform was confirmed.
The National Counterterrorism Headquarters will serve as a central control tower overseeing and coordinating government-wide counterterrorism activities. Plans include expanding the recruitment of private experts, implementing a long-term employment system, and enhancing preventive and response systems using technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analysis, and drones.
In the event of a terrorist incident, a unified command system led by the police will ensure efficient responses.
Additionally, new threats such as drone and unmanned aerial vehicle risks will be explicitly categorized as types of terrorism, and the criteria for defining terrorism will be clarified.
The National Counterterrorism Committee will be granted the authority and procedures to directly designate and declassify domestic terrorist organizations. The training and education system will also be improved.
Furthermore, plans will be pursued for regional joint national training, central-local cooperation bodies, reflecting field demands for counterterrorism equipment, establishing budget coordination systems, and building strategic cooperation with key overseas institutions.
Prime Minister Kim stated, "New types of risks continue to increase, including traditional terrorist threats, the spread of extremism in online spaces, crimes motivated against unspecified individuals, and risks utilizing new technologies such as drones. We will create a national response system that proactively addresses the changing terrorism environment so that citizens can feel safe in their daily lives."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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