The government is seeking specific ways to counter possible terrorist attacks after a high-ranking member of al-Qaida recently named South Korea as a target for terrorist strikes.

Senior officials of sixteen related ministries, including the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense as well as Government Administration and Home Affairs, are meeting Monday to come up with a comprehensive counter-terrorism plan.

A high-ranking government official said Seoul is gravely concerned over possible terrorist attacks. He said that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had confirmed that the voice of the al-Qaida member that mentioned South Korea in a tape aired by an Arabic broadcaster was indeed that of Ayman al-Zawahiri, a deputy to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Al-Jazeera television on Friday broadcast a message attributed to al-Zawahiri urging Muslims to attack member countries of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, including South Korea, Japan, Australia and France.

Following the reports, the Joint Chiefs of Staff office issued on Sunday an emergency instruction for military units to tighten security against possible terrorist attacks.

The Foreign Ministry ordered embassies overseas, particular those in Muslim regions, to step up security for South Korean interests.