October 20, 2004

Good Morning, Members and Friends -

I had not intended to prepare an Update today but, an Intelligence report came in which I want to IMMEDIATELY call to your attention. Those of you receiving the DAILY BRIEF will see it there as well.

1135 GMT – SOUTH KOREA – A threat to "burn Seoul and make it crumble" was issued to the South Korean people via an Islamic Web site, South Korean officials said Oct. 20. The source of the threat was not named on the site, but claimed it was the second threat, suggesting it came from the Martyr Hammoud al-Masri Battalion, which issued a previous warning Oct. 10 giving Seoul 14 days to withdraw its troops from Iraq. South Korean officials, however, cited spelling mistakes and other issues in the warning and said it does not appear to be the work of a militant group, and that the threat is likely rather low - though vigilance is high.

While in Korea last week, I was impressed with the resolve of the Korean Government and Armed Forces. They were proud that their country was once more standing beside “their” Americans, as they said, “defending freedom as the US defended freedom in Korean War.” In the meeting with the Korean President, he said virtually the same thing. They are equally as proud that their nation has the third largest contingent in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and is in COMMAND of nearly all of the free world forces in 1/4 of the area of operations (the northern Kurdish area where 4th US Infantry Division was supposed to fight during last year’s attack).

It was impressive to be on the busy streets of Seoul, at 1100 hours, mid-day, ten million people, in what seemed like ten million cars and trucks and SUVs, hurrying around and then have the practice defense alert called, and to witness all that activity totally cease as the Nation practiced countermeasures against the terrorist threats which they had already received at that time. Also making an impression was that in all of those world-class luxury hotels in the city, as you open the wardrobe doors there are emergency breathing devices—gas masks— stowed in the event of an attack.

Friends, the nation which we bled to preserve and its people are STANDING WITH US! They are living in perilous times—it is not an academic exercise in KOREA as it sometimes appears to be in the current US presidential campaign. God bless AMERICA, and God bless KOREA! FREEDOM IS NOT FREE – AND IT NEVER WAS!