Dispatch of Delegations on Iraq Troops Mission to Fifteen Arab Nations

On Wednesday, the South Korean government decided to dispatch high-ranking delegations to 15 Arab nations, after dividing them into several areas, in order to explain that its dispatch of troops to Iraq is for the purpose of peace and rebuilding. The decision is intended to produce a friendly atmosphere toward the country in the Arab world.

The government also set a plan to invite influential figures, such as the heads of major tribes, religious leaders and top Iraqi officials, to explain this once the troops’ posting is settled.

A spokesman for Cheong Wa Dae Yoon Tae-young explained this in a regular briefing that day, saying, “The government set such plans in a Cabinet meeting led by President Roh Moo-hyun in which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of National Defence, Government Information Agency, Ministry of Planning and Budget, National Intelligence Service and National Security Council (NSC) took part.”

The government designed an Arabic electronic book section on Korea.net, a government homepage, and invited top leaders and ministers, people from various circles and influential figures in the press to Korea at the same time.

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com