The Marmot’s Hole

OhMyNews quotes a South Korean diplomatic/national security source as saying that the US has requested a WHOLE DIVISION of South Korean troops (about 10,000 men) for service in Iraq. Local media reports had put the number of requested troops anywhere from a battalion (600-800 men) to a brigade (3,000-5,000 men), but this report (if accurate) would suggest a far larger South Korean commitment than previously expected. The Ministry of Defense has yet to make clear the nature of the troops requested by the Americans, but given the situation in Iraq, they can only be one thing - combat troops for use in peacekeeping operations.

According to the source cited in the OhMyNews report, there appears to be some uncertainty as to the number requested - an American division consists of roughly 18,000 men, as opposed to the 10,000 which make up a South Korean one, and it’s unclear as to whose definition of a “division” will be used. The source goes on to say that “due to public opinion, the dispatch of combat troops [to Iraq] will constitute a tremendous burden for the authorities, so we are taking great pains [to deal with this issue].”

South Korea currently has 675 men in Iraq - all from medical and engineering units. OhMyNews goes on to say that this may only be an initial request - depending on how the situation on the ground in Iraq develops, there is a “high possibility” that the US will request more troops from South Korea at a later date.

The government, coincidentally, is handling this issue with extreme caution - and that goes for both sides of the political aisle. What makes the problem worse is that none of the information we’re getting is “official” - in fact, the American request for troops seems to have been made unofficially, just to test the water, so to speak. The GNP, of course, is waiting for the Blue House to make up its mind, while the Blue House appears to be testing public opinion. The old guard of the MDP isn’t saying much other that they’ll wait until they get some official requests (from somebody, preferably the UN) before deciding on what to do, while some younger members of the party (for now) made statement openly opposing the dispatch of forces of Iraq. But even among the shindang-p’a (those younger, reform-minded, mostly MDP politicians close to Noh Mu-hyeon who wish to form their own party), there is initial disagreement - Rep. Ch’on Yong-t’aek, the Man from Wan-do and shindang-p’a member - released a statement saying that the nation “must dispatch forces to Iraq as quickly as possible after taking into account our international relations and our participation in the post-war reconstruction of Iraq.” However, Ch’on went on to say that it would be good to send about 2,000 men - a far cry from the division reported by OhMyNews.

Again, let me throw in the caveat here - very few people know who requested what from whom (and in what amount), and those that do aren’t talking officially. As far as a know, OhMyNews could be full of shit - they have been before. That being said, I’ll be curious to see how the boys up in Yoido and Gwanghwamun respond once this report circulates.

BTW, not to stick my nose in this, but I do know of a division in Korea the US could redeploy WITHOUT the prior consent of the Korean government.