Korea Planning on Less Than 3,000 Troops for Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031113/wl_nm/korea_usa_iraq_dc&cid=574&ncid=1480

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea (news - web sites) is drafting plans for the deployment of no more than 3,000 troops to help with peacekeeping and reconstruction in Iraq -- well short of the 10,000 requested by Washington -- but a presidential spokesman would not be drawn on whether combat troops would be included.

In a meeting with security and foreign affairs ministers several days before a visit to Seoul by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun told them to work out a plan "that can win national agreement," spokesman Yoon Tai-young told a news briefing.

Roh announced on October 18 that he would send more troops to Iraq, but deferred a decision on the size and make-up of the force.

South Korea, which already has medical and engineering troops in Iraq, would likely focus on reconstruction and leave security to local forces, Yoon quoted Roh as saying.

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[jamesinca]

1. Japan is postponing and Korea is only considering 30%

This so called "coalition of the willing" is not so impressive after all.

[Don_G]

2. They Definately Don't Like Dimbo's Policies

Japan and South Korea along with the EU, China, Switzerland, Norway and Brazil (so far) are protesting the US steel tarriffs and are considering a 100% tarriff on US goods.

How many troops probably depends on their economic front.