South Korea: Police hold large-scale security drills in final preparation push for APEC summit

Gyeongju, Oct 20 (IANS) South Korean Police were set to stage a large-scale security exercise on Monday in the southeastern city of Gyeongju as part of final preparations for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The exercise, led by the Presidential Security Service, is designed to ensure the security of the motorcades of APEC member leaders who will take part in the two-day summit set to open in Gyeongju on October 31, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Police did not disclose details of the exercise, such as the number of personnel involved, citing operational security. They held security drills in September that mobilised nearly 600 personnel and some 190 patrol cars.

Police plan to stage more drills later in the day, including those involving police special forces, drones and detection dogs at the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Centre, where the summit will take place.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard has stationed personnel around Bomun Lake inside the Bomun Tourist Complex, where the summit venue is located. It has also strengthened coastal security around Gyeongju and the nearby city of Pohang.

As part of maximum security efforts during the summit, police plan to deploy anti-drone equipment, armoured police vehicles and helicopters on the opening day of the summit.

Up to 18,500 police officers will be deployed each day of the summit for security, traffic management and crowd control operations.

Currently, 15 rallies have been scheduled to take place during APEC events set to take place in the city. They include right-wing and left-wing rallies, with police expecting a total of 10,000 people to take part in them.

Police plan to allow rallies near the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center until Friday, and restrict all rallies within the Bomun Tourist Complex beginning Saturday. It is requesting civic groups to hold rallies during the summit period at other locations in the city.

Police plan to raise their alert level for the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police and the Busan Metropolitan Police on October 28, allowing them to mobilise all officers under their command.

--IANS

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