Deputy speaker: 'FETO presence in Korea upsets Turkey'

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Deputy Parliament Speaker Ahmet Aydin called for an end to Fetullah Terrorist Organization's (FETO) activities in South Korea.

In a meeting with his Korean counterpart Park Joo-sun in Ankara on Friday, Ahmet Aydin drew attention to the presence of FETO-linked schools in South Korea.

"We found out that some FETO members settled in South Korea following the [2016] coup attempt," said Aydin, adding that the presence in Korea of some schools and associations affiliated with the terrorist FETO upset Turkey.

Aydin reiterated Turkey’s request from "its brother country Korea to take measures" against FETO and "to end its activities" in the country.

He also touched on the brotherly relations between the two countries maintained since the Korean War in the early 1950s.

In response, Joo-sun said that his country would be closely monitoring FETO's activities in South Korea.

"We are aware of them," said Joo-sun, adding that they prevented FETO's participation in events organized by the South Korean state in consideration of “our blood brother Turkey”.

"As a former prosecutor, I will evaluate their [coup] plot and their coup attempt [in Turkey]. I will do my best to prevent them from carrying out similar activities in Korea."

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.