Seoul’s Incheon airport to prevent ‘excessive private security’ for celebrities
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The measure follows a series of complaints in July over what was alleged to be excessive security measures by actor Byeon Woo-seok’s security team.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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SEOUL – Incheon Airport will introduce a manual on dealing with private security personnel employed by celebrities, in light of a recent controversy surrounding what was alleged to be excessive security measures for actor Byeon Woo-seok.
The manual will detail proper responses when the terminals get crowded due to high-profile personnel leaving or arriving, according to the Incheon International Airport Corp report submitted to Mr Jeon Yong-gi of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.
Among the new guidelines is a policy to have the airport personnel report possible inappropriate actions of private security firms to the Incheon International Airport Police Corps, and pursue legal action in case of illegal activities such as damaging the facilities.
The manual says the airport police are to intervene in crowd control when at least 300 people are presumed to have gathered at the gates. It advises the airport police to actively procure the safety of travellers, and step up crowd control when more than 500 people congregate.
The measure follows a series of complaints in July over what was alleged to be excessive security actions by Byeon’s security team.
It was reported that some security guards blocked gates and conducted ticket and passport checks without the authorisation of the airport.
Four officials of the security firm are being investigated on suspicion of violating the Security Services Industry Act, with police mulling over whether to press additional charges for obstruction of business. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

