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S Korea to send mission to Iraq following US request
Seoul, Sept 18: South Korea decided today to send a fact-finding mission to Iraq next week following a controversial US request to send thousands of troops to the war-torn country, officials said.
Seoul, Sept 18: South Korea decided today to send a fact-finding mission to Iraq next week following a controversial US request to send thousands of troops to the war-torn country, officials said.
The United States has asked South Korea to send a brigade
of 3,000 troops or a division of 10,000 which could operate on
its own, spokesman Park Jin of the opposition Grand National
Party (GNP) said.
The decision to send a fact-finding mission was made at a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), which is composed of government ministers and top officials in charge of national security and foreign affairs.
"Those attending the meeting shared the view that regardless of whether we send troops or not, we need to be informed in detail about the situation in Iraq and security," the NSC said in a press statement.
"For this purpose, the NSC decided to send a fact-finding mission early next week," it said.
Unification minister Jeong se-Hyun, who attended the meeting, told journalists it was necessary for the government to be unified over the controversial issue.
The US request has triggered angry protests from civil activists opposed to putting South Korean troops in Harm's way.
President Roh Moo-Hyun said on Wednesday: "The people are divided on the issue and so are those close to me."
"I am unable to give an answer under the present circumstances." Bureau Report
The decision to send a fact-finding mission was made at a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), which is composed of government ministers and top officials in charge of national security and foreign affairs.
"Those attending the meeting shared the view that regardless of whether we send troops or not, we need to be informed in detail about the situation in Iraq and security," the NSC said in a press statement.
"For this purpose, the NSC decided to send a fact-finding mission early next week," it said.
Unification minister Jeong se-Hyun, who attended the meeting, told journalists it was necessary for the government to be unified over the controversial issue.
The US request has triggered angry protests from civil activists opposed to putting South Korean troops in Harm's way.
President Roh Moo-Hyun said on Wednesday: "The people are divided on the issue and so are those close to me."
"I am unable to give an answer under the present circumstances." Bureau Report