ROK'S IRAQ ZAYTUN TROOP DEPLOYMENT EXTENSION:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 004210

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KS
SUBJECT: ROK'S IRAQ ZAYTUN TROOP DEPLOYMENT EXTENSION:
UPDATE

REF: SEOUL 4156

Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (SBU) The bill to extend the ROK Zaytun troop deployment
to Iraq was submitted to the National Assembly's Defense
Committee on December 6 calling for a one-year renewal of the
deployment and a reduction in troops from 2,400 to 1,200.
The bill currently calls for the ROK to complete its mission
by the end of 2007, but no mention of a full-scale pullout of
troops. December 12, the Defense Committee will address the
bill again and it is likely to pass to the plenary session at
that time. The GNP members of the Defense Committee will
push to remove any provisions in the bill that hint at
pullout of the troops.

Uri Party Position
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2. (SBU) The Uri Party has passed a party position (Reftel)
calling for a provision for complete withdrawal in the motion
for renewal and some are calling for more specific language
than the current vague reference to mission completion.
According to Uri sources on the Defense Committee, some
provision will be attached to the renewal bill but it will
likely not emphasize complete withdrawal. Committee Member
Lee Keun-sik told the press that, "the ROKG must submit to
the National Assembly by June, 2007 its plan on concluding
the mission, and the deadline for mission conclusion shall be
within 2007."

GNP Position
--------------


3. (C) The opposition Grand National Party (GNP) has not
adopted a party position on the troop renewal bill although
it is clear most members support the renewal and with no
pullout conditions attached. According to GNP sources on the
Defense Committee, the GNP has not decided if it will adopt a
party position or allow free voting on the renewal issue.
Either way, of the GNP's 127 members, only a handful is
likely to come out against the renewal. Some GNP members are
hoping that some Korean companies can begin to start projects
in northern Iraq and if so, the GNP will argue for an even
longer-term military commitment to Iraq in order to protect
Korean business interests.

Comment
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4. (C) With strong GNP support and many Uri Party members
conceding the renewal of the Iraq Zaytun troop deployment
should happen in view of the ROK-U.S. alliance, the ROK
commitment in Iraq into 2007 is virtually assured. The main
uncertainty is whether the GNP will fight hard to remove any
Uri Party drafted provisions on a complete pullout to the
bill. Since the Uri Party, along with the Democratic Party,
has enough votes to push through its version of the bill in
committee and the plenary, it is possible that there will be
some provision in the renewal bill about completion of the
ROK Iraq mission in 2007.
VERSHBOW