The Korean and U.S. governments agreed on a choice of two cities in northern Iraq, Arbil or Sulaymaniyah, as the dispatch area of the Zayitun unit. Defense ministry spokesperson Nam Dae-yeon said Friday, ¡°We received an official proposal from Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez on Thursday night requesting the Korean troops to be sent to one area among Sulaymaniyah, Arbil or Northern Kirkuk.¡± Nam added, ¡°With additional consultations between Korea and U.S. army officials, we agreed on either Arbil or Sulaymaniyah.¡±
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A Kurd family enjoys a spring outing on a mountain in the outskirts of Sulaymaniya, Iraq, March 23. They said, ¡°We feel at peace because we don¡¯t live with Arabs.¡±
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Sulaymaniyah is known to be a highly favored dispatch area by the Korean Government. Ministry of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will send a fact-finding mission with Major General Hwang Ui-don as the head to Arbil and Sulaymaniyah in mid-April to inspect the local climate, ground conditions, surroundings for billeting and readiness for fulfillment of duties. The final decision on the dispatch area will be made after final discussions with the United States.
Taking into consideration the time needed to dispatch the fact-finding mission, selection schedules for the dispatch area and training periods, the Zayitun unit will be dispatched around early-June or mid-June. Arbil and Sulaymaniyah are said to be a relatively secure areas.
(Yoo Yong-won, kysu@chosun.com )
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