Korea, Japan prepare Iraq forces
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South Korea has committed to send another 3000 troops to Iraq next year.
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(CNN) -- South Korea has moved closer to sending 3000 troops to Iraq after President Roh Moo-hyun and government ministers finalized the deployment plan Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reports.
The troops, made up of combat and non-combat forces, are expected to leave for Iraq in the next four months.
Roh, along with his foreign affairs and national security ministers, agreed on the troop plan, which will now be submitted for parliamentary approval after its endorsement by the South Korean Cabinet next Tuesday.
The decision in Seoul comes as Japan makes its final preparations to send about 1000 military personnel to Iraq.
The Mainichi newspaper reported Wednesday that the main dispatch of troops will take place in February. An advance team of air defense personnel leaves later this month for the region. (Full story)
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SPECIAL REPORT
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Japan and South Korea are key East Asian allies of the United States in the war on terror, and have their own security issues close to home because of the threat posed by North Korea.
Both countries suffered civilian casualties in Iraq last month, with the deaths of two Japanese diplomats and two Korean contractors.
The United States has been pressing its allies to broaden support for the coalition forces in Iraq by committing more combat and non-combat troops to the region.
The breakdown of the South Korean force is expected to be 1400 combat troops and 1600 construction troops. The United States had asked for 5000 troops, but Roh limited the number to 3000 when he first announced in October that troops would go to Iraq.
South Korea already has about 500 engineering and medical troops in Iraq. Most of them are based at Nasiriya.
The forces have been in the country without incident since May, but in November two South Korean civilian contractors were killed in central Iraq.
The fresh deployment is expected to take about four months. No region has been nominated yet, but Yonhap quoted a defense official as favoring the northern city of Kirkuk.
"The South Korean troops will take on responsibility for support of Iraqi peace and rehabilitation, and will independently take charge of a certain region for effective execution of duties and safety of the troops," National Security Advisor Ra Jong-yil said at a press briefing, Yonhap reported.
In the case of Japan, the bulk of its troops will not reach Iraq until late March.
According to the Mainichi newspaper, an advance team will go to Iraq next month to prepare for the arrival of the first 135 soldiers in the southern city of Samawah. Those troops will leave for Iraq on February 21 and stay at a Dutch military base there, it said.
Another 550 troops will follow in March. Armored vehicles and other heavy equipment will be shipped from Japan aboard a naval vessel on January 14, the Mainichi newspaper said in its report Wednesday.
Japanese air force personnel will be based in Kuwait, operating C-130 Hercules transport aircraft for coalition forces.
Japan's pacifist constitution strictly limits military activities. Parliament passed a special law in July to authorize sending non-combat troops to Iraq. The legislation also lets troops carry weapons -- but only to defend themselves under fire, The Associated Press reports.
Opposition parties have strongly opposed the dispatch, saying it violates the constitution. They also say safe areas don't exist in Iraq.
Two Japanese diplomats were shot and killed near Tikrit late last month while en route to an Iraqi reconstruction conference. ( Full story)
Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
