Incheon airport goes on alert after Brussels bombings

Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, tightened its security in the wake of the terrorist bombings in 
Brussels that left dozens of people dead and some hundreds injured, Yonhap news agency quoted the airport's operator as saying Wednesday.

The Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) held an emergency meeting with 13 government organizations, including the Seoul intelligence agency and police and announced measures to beef up security.

The airport located on Yeongjong Island, some 60 kilometers east of Seoul, is South Korea's No. 1 airport and one of the busiest in Asia.

The authorities said some 700 officers have been mobilized, including bomb disposal and special counter-terrorism units, to deal with emergency situations at the airport. They said that the intervals between security patrols have been shortened.

The airport operator also said it strengthened security inspections and has beefed up efforts to confirm the identity of people trying to board planes. It said airport staff are being subjected to more careful screening when they report to work.

Since the November terrorist attacks in Paris, the airport has been keeping its security at the third highest out of five levels.

"We will do our best to protect the safety of the airport and ordinary citizens by strengthening collaboration with related organizations to better deal with possible terrorist attacks," an IIAC official said.

Source : MENA