Korea, Regional Kurdistan Government Organize Working-Level Talks on Dispatching Troops

On June 2, the Korean troop support group that is currently visiting Arbil, Iraq and the Kurdistan regional government came to an agreement to organize a joint working-level committee to ensure close cooperation and support during the dispatch of Korean troops.

The troop support group, headed by Major General Song Ki-suk of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with officials of the Kurdistan regional government, including Prime Minister Nechervan Idris Barzani, for the first working-level talks, and held a second talk on June 3 to discuss issues of army posts and airport usage.

It was reported that four square kilometers of state-owned land in the Nashkin region near the Arbil airport was temporarily decided on as the army post of the Zaitoon Unit, and that a contact agency will be set up in the Arbil airport for the smooth distribution of war supplies.

Prime Minister Barzani stated, “I ordered each division and organizations to provide active support for recovery and reconstruction when the Korean troops arrive” and added, “The Kurdistan region will greet the Korean troops as guests since public order is maintained in the area.”

Once the Korean troops are stationed, the Kurdistan regional government is planning to station its Civil Defense Corps nearby to be fully responsible for the defense of Korean troops. In exchange, the Korean troops agreed to support the rearming of military forces maintaining public order through training the Kurdistan police and the Civil Defense Corps, as well as through equipment supply.

When the troop support group returns home, the government will hold a standing committee of the National Security Council based on the local findings and make a final decision on whether or not to dispatch troops.