Zaitoon`s Iraq Station Will Be Extended Until End of Next Year

The Ministry of Defense has confirmed the first draft of a “Peace-rehabilitating Unit in Iraq Deployment Term Extension Approval” bill that extends the term of the Zaitoon unit deployed to Arbil, Iraq one more year until next December 31.

According to an official in the ministry, defense minister Yoon Kwang-ung held a military affairs meeting with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Jong-hwan and the chiefs of general staff of each army and confirmed the extension bill. The draft containing the extension will be soon handed in by the ministry to the state affairs meeting.

The government had fixed the date of this December 31 in the deployment bill of the Zaitoon unit handed in to the National Assembly in its 16th session last year.

An official in the ministry explained, “The Zaitoon unit arrived in Iraq only late last month and will launch active peace-rebuilding programs early November,” and added, “If the deployment term is not extended, they will only get to work there for two months.”

Uri Party Chairman Lee Boo-young said at a discussion at the Kwanhun Club on October 12 that “We will take care of the deployment extension approval in this regular Assembly session (The session will be closed on December 9).”

Ho-Won Choi sunjung71@hotmail.com