• Korean Security Journal
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• no.60
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• pp.113-135
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• 2019

Despite being one of the most important national facilities, the National Assembly building of the Republic of Korea has become increasingly vulnerable to potential terrorist attacks, and the instances of demonstrations occurring around and banned items taken into the building are continuing to rise. In addition, promoting the idea of "open assembly" has led to increased visitors and weakened access control. Furthermore, while there is a significant symbolic value attached to attacking the National Assembly building, the level of security management is relatively very low, making it a suitable target for terrorism. In order to address such vulnerability, an appropriate access control system should be in place from the areas surrounding the building. However, the National Assembly Security Service which oversees security around the building is scheduled to disband in June 2020 following the abolition of the conscripted police force in 2023. Therefore, there needs to be an alternative option to bolster the security system outside the facility. In this research, the perceptions of 114 government officials in charge of security at the National Assembly Secretariat toward the protection and security system of the areas surrounding the National Assembly building were examined. Results showed that the respondents believed it was highly likely that risky situations could occur outside the building, and the use of advanced technologies such as intelligent video surveillance, intrusion detection system, and drones was viewed favorably. Moreover, a mid- to long-term plan of establishing a unified three-layer protection system and designating a department in charge of the security outside the building were perceived positively. Lastly, the participants supported the idea of employing private police to replace the National Assembly Security Service for the short term and introducing parliamentary police for the mid- to long-term.