Quick Decision on Additional Troop Dispatch to Iraq

Minister of Unification Jeong Se-hyun, during his visit to the U.S. October 1, said, “We will have to make a quick decision about Korea’s additional troop dispatch to Iraq for reports from a field investigation in Iraq, the various types of public opinion, and our national interest and prestige.”

“Late decisions about the troop dispatch to Iraq can be an issue for a general election in April 2004. As a result, we have to make a quick decision,” said Minister Jeong at a meeting with special correspondents. “The most important variable in deciding whether to send additional troops to Iraq is the ROK-US relationship and security situations on the Korean Peninsula. Officially it has nothing to do with the issue of resumption of the six-way talks,” stressed Mr. Jeong. Regarding expected North Korea’s response to South Korea’s decision to send troops to Iraq, he mentioned, “Considering previous experience, I think North Korea will not provoke a quarrel for the troop dispatch if we don’t take a military warning action.”

maypole@donga.com