Seoul, Dec 11 (IANS) The South Korean government plans to conduct a reorganisation of the foreign ministry aimed at strengthening its consular and overseas safety protection services amid rising risks to the safety of nationals abroad, officials said on Thursday.
The interior ministry plans to preannounce a revised decree reflecting the reorganisation plan from Friday to next Tuesday before having it approved at a Cabinet meeting by the end of the month, government officials said, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The plan focuses on strengthening the foreign ministry’s Consular Affairs and Safety Bureau amid the growing need for stronger protection for Koreans abroad, stemming from criminal scam rings in Cambodia targeting nationals as well as natural disasters, conflicts and other safety issues.
Under the reorganisation plan, a new director-general-level post in charge of overseas protection planning will be established, while a new division for overseas safety crisis response will be added to the bureau to enhance overseas protection services and improve response to incidents affecting nationals abroad.
The ministry’s 24-hour call centre for consular assistance will also be expanded, while the bureau’s personnel will be increased by 21, including police officers in charge of the situation room for overseas safety.
As part of the plan, the government also plans to dispatch 10 additional police officers, consuls and other officials to overseas missions across Europe, the Americas and Asia.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday received diplomatic credentials from eight new ambassadors to South Korea, including the new envoy from India, the presidential office said.
The envoys included Gourangalal Das of India, Eva Russek of Austria, Khuon Phon Rattanak of Cambodia, Bernadette Therese Fernandez of the Philippines, Hazem Zaki of Egypt, Kojo Choi of Ghana, MK Pathmanathan of Sri Lanka and Wael Hachem of Lebanon.
They presented their credentials to Lee during a ceremony held at the presidential office, the third such ceremony held since Lee’s inauguration in June.
New ambassadors typically present their credentials to the head of state to formally assume their roles.
During the ceremony, Lee told the envoys that South Korea hopes to broaden and deepen relations with their respective countries and urged them to serve as a “bridge” in expanding areas of the economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.
The ambassadors positively evaluated South Korea’s successful hosting of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and pledged to work toward strengthening cooperation in various fields, Kang added.
–IANS
int/akl/sd
