Posted March. 27, 2003 22:14,
With respect to reports that the U.S. requested the South Korean government to dispatch additional military forces to manage Iraqi prisoners of war and concentration camps for political offenders, RaJong-yil, President Roh`s senior advisor for national security, said on Thursday, "Those forces are needed for post-war reconstruction so it is not the time to think over this issue. But the government now opposes the idea."
"It is not proper for soldiers to engage in the issues of political prisoners and concentration camps," Mr. Ra said meeting with reporters on that day. He said that the U.S. asked a week ago whether South Korea can help it regarding political prisoners issue when the war in Iraq ends. He added that the U.S. was just sounding 50 countries out on that matter and it actually did not asked for the dispatch of additional forces.
In a briefing to reporters, a senior official with the Ministry of Defense said, "After receiving the request form the U.S., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade contacted the Defense Ministry to check whether the South Korean military medical team can work at prisons to treat prisoners. We responded that the medical team`s mission is to treat coalition forces so it is difficult for them to stay at prisons."
The defense senior official added that the U.S. did not request additional dispatch of military forces and the Korean government is not considering sending other forces except the non-combat troops that it initially decided to send.
However, he explained, "When the medical team works in Iraq and there are patients at a nearby prison, the medical workers can make a call on the prison to respond to humanitarian needs."