By Yoo Dong-ho
Staff Reporter


Iraq’s interim government has called for an extension of South Korea’s troop deployment in the war-torn nation, Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung said Friday.

The South Korean defense chief’s remark came hours after he returned to Seoul, wrapping up a four-day visit to the South Korean military contingent in Iraq. ``Officials of the interim government also expressed their sincere gratitude to the South Korean troops for their ongoing humanitarian rehabilitation mission,’’ Yoon told reporters.

He said his ministry would seek the National Assembly’s rubber-stamp at the end of this month for the extension of South Korea’s troop deployment in Iraq. The South Korean contingent, dubbed the Zaytun (meaning ``olive’’ in Arabic) Unit, is only authorized to stay in Iraq until the end of this year.

During his trip, Yoon also met top Kurdish leaders and U.S. military officers to discuss the current security situation in Iraq.

South Korea has 2,800 soldiers in the Kurdish-controlled autonomous town of Irbil, making it the third-largest contributor to the U.S.-led coalition after the U.S. and Britain.

South Korea said it would dispatch several hundred more troops to Irbil this month to keep to its initial plan to deploy 3,600 soldiers.

The South Korean forces have been put on high alert in recent weeks after a series of terror threats posted on Islamic Web sites, including one giving South Korea a seven-day ultimatum to pull the Zaytun Unit out of Iraq.

An incident such as a hostage situation or the death of any servicemen may seriously effect public sentiment back home, making it almost impossible for the ministry to get an extension of the troops’ stay, analysts believe.

Meanwhile, returning home with Yoon yesterday were about 310 Army engineers and medics who have completed their six-month mission in Iraq.

The soldiers coming home are those who were transferred from the Seohui and Jema units, which had previously operated in the southern Iraqi region of Nasiriyah for several months since April this year.

The noncombatants were replaced by a roughly equal number of fresh troops.

Seoul, a staunch ally of the U.S. for half a century, stood firm on its pledge to deploy thousands of troops to Iraq, despite the beheading of a South Korean hostage by an Islamic group in June.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr