A Korean vice foreign minister plans to attend an international conference on antiterrorism to be held in Washington this week in a bid to join global efforts to fight violent terrorism, officials said Monday.

Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will attend the conference on fighting violent extremism slated for Thursday (local time) that will bring together government officials from 60 nations, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry. Cho will leave for Washington on Wednesday for a four-day visit.

The conference to be hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to emphasize the global community’s concerted efforts to curb extreme violence at a time when concerns are deepening over terrorist acts and a rise in foreign terrorist fighters.

A day earlier, a White House-hosted forum that will be attended by people from civic groups on the same topic will be held, officials added.

The White House said last month that it will host a summit on fighting violent extremism in February “to highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the U.S. and abroad to commit acts of violence.”

The conference comes amid growing concerns and alertness against terrorist acts, including the deadly attacks in Paris early last month and in Copenhagen on Saturday.

The Muslim extremist group Islamic State has captured a wide swath of Syria and Iraq, shocking the global community by brutally killing hostages from Western countries and Japan. 

(Yonhap)