Korean police dispatched for security purposes during the Paris Summer Olympics on the afternoon July 18 patrol the area of the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur of the French capital's Montmartre district, along with officers from France and Brazil. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Kyoung Mi

Ahead of the opening of the Paris Summer Olympics, a temporary consular office in Paris has been launched to protect the safety of Koreans during the competition.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 24 said it opened the office at the Korean Embassy in Paris through Aug. 12, the day after the end of the Olympics, to prevent and respond to any incidents involving Koreans.

To this end, a delegation was deployed comprising staff from the ministry, National Fire Agency, Korea National Police Agency, National Intelligence Service and National Counter Terrorism Center.

For international sporting events such as the Olympics or soccer's World Cup, a temporary consular office has offered consular assistance and support for the safety of Korean nationals.

The office in Paris will provide consular assistance for rapid response in cooperation with French security authorities if an incident, accident or crisis occurs, along with preventative measures.

It will also distribute guides on safe travel and hats and fans to block the sun, and ice patches near major stadiums where Korean athletes compete and tourist attractions.

km137426@korea.kr