We Have Safely Arrived in Arbil, Roger

On September 22, the first 2,800 soldiers from the Peace Reconstruction Division dispatched to Iraq (also known as the Zaitoon Division, commanded by Major General Hwang Eui-don) arrived safely in Arbil, the deployment destination for the Korean expeditionary force. The second unit of the division (800 soldiers) to be dispatched is scheduled to leave for Arbil in early November.

Chief Director of Intelligence of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Song Gi-seok announced through briefing on that day that since the departure of its advance team on August 3, the Zaitoon Division’s troop transport mission (so-called Post Horse Mission) was completed after 50 days. Director Song said, “During the 22-day Post Horse Mission starting from August 3, we found two explosives, but we suffered no harm. We are taking the incidences not as hostility directed toward the Korean forces, but to all U.S. allies in general.”

The Zaitoon Division plans to launch full-scale reconstruction projects from September 23 and complete the construction of its barracks by the end of next month, which is currently 80 percent finished.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense will consider allowing the division’s soldiers to make phone calls home during the Chuseok Festival beginning on September 25. From early next month, the scheduled date for the completion of the communication facilities, the ministry will also allow them to make more than one phone call and correspondences every week.

Ho-Won Choi bestiger@donga.com