U.S. Discontent with 3,000 Non-Battle Soldiers

The government delegations, currently visiting the U.S. to confer about additional troop dispatch to Iraq, held administrative talks with the U.S. officials of diplomacy and national defense, including James Kelly, assistant secretary of the Department of State, and discussed specific matters such as the characteristics and the size of forces to be dispatched on November 5 (local time).

The delegations, led by Lee Su-hyouk, an assistant secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, revealed Korea’s position on the dispatch of forces which would consist mainly of non-combat soldiers and amount to 3,000 with patrol services unavailable. The U.S. was reported to have expressed discontent.

The delegations consisting of Lee Su-hyok, assistant secretary, Cha Young-goo, policy director of Ministry of National Defense, and Seo Joo-seok, strategy director of National Security Council will hold consecutive meetings with Steve Hadley, deputy National Security Adviser, Paul Wolfowitz, deputy Secretary of Defense, and Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to explain Korea’s position on November 6.

According to diplomatic sources, the U.S. and Korea will try to adjust pending matters and reach an agreement of additional dispatch of forces before the annual security council of the U.S. and Korea (SCM), which will be held from November 17 through 18. However, it will be difficult because of the apparent different opinions.

maypole@donga.com