IS-linked group threatens to attack Seoul store

South Korean police said on Sunday that they have received intelligence claiming that an African militant group linked to the Islamic State (IS) plan to carry out a terror attack on a store in Seoul.

In a post on social media, the Mali group said they would attack a shop near COEX, a large shopping complex in the wealthy district of Gangnam, a police official said, adding that there was no mention of explosives being involved, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"The store mentioned is a supermarket. In Africa, supermarkets are apparently some of the most crowded places," the official said. "The group clearly doesn't understand the way things work in South Korea, so the chances of an attack appear slim."

Police said they have beefed up security in the area to prepare for any contingency. So far, no signs that would raise suspicions of an attack were found.

"We can't 100 percent rule out the possibility, though, so we've strengthened security," the official said.

The intelligence was received through the National Intelligence Service (NIS), which cited information from the foreign affairs ministry.

An NIS official said on condition of anonymity that the spy agency was "confirming the facts and preparing for all possibilities".