SRAP HOLBROOKE'S DEC 4 MEETING WITH KOREAN DEPUTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001658

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM, EAP
STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA
USFOR-A FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR TFI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2019
TAGS: MARR MOPS EAID PINS PGOV PREL EUN SW PK IN
AF, KS
SUBJECT: SRAP HOLBROOKE'S DEC 4 MEETING WITH KOREAN DEPUTY
FM LEE

REF: A. KABUL 3852

B. USEU BRUSSELS 1639

C. USEU BRUSSELS 1638

D. USEU BRUSSELS 1637

Classified By: USEU POL M-C CHRISTOPHER DAVIS FOR REASON 1.4 B/D


1. (C) SUMMARY: SRAP Holbrooke met with South Korean Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lee Yong-joon on the
margins of the December 4 NATO Ministerial in Brussels. Lee
said the Korean Parliament would discuss the GOK's planned
PRT for Afghanistan in approximately two weeks. Korean firms
are facing shortages of manpower and materials, but the GOK
hopes to open its PRT by July 2010. The GOK plans to
contribute 40 trainers to the PRT but has not yet defined
their mission. The GIROA has asked Korea for training in two
main areas: emergency first aid and taekwondo. Lee plans to
be in Washington December 17-18. He expressed an interest in
meeting Holbrooke's team and inquired about the possibility
of Treasury-led training on illicit finance issues. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) SRAP Holbrooke held a bilateral meeting with South
Korean Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Lee
Yong-joon on the margins of the NATO Foreign Ministerial on
December 4 in Brussels. Holbrooke welcomed the news of
Lee,s recent appointment as Korea,s Special Representative
for Afghanistan and Pakistan, announced in November when
Korea put forth its plans for a PRT in Afghanistan's Parwan
Province (ref A). Holbrooke welcomed him to the special
envoys group, and mentioned the upcoming special
representatives meeting to be held in Abu Dhabi January
11-12, 2010. Lee welcomed the opportunity to engage with
SRAP counterparts.


3. (C) Lee said that he was interested in discussing
practical details of his country's contributions to the ISAF
mission. Lee said that Korea would probably commit
approximately 40 police/trainers to a planned police training
center within its PRT. He could not say if these would be
paramilitary police, since Korea does not yet have a firm
plan for how to use personnel in Afghanistan. "Since we have
40 people, we can be creative and decide later," he stressed.
Lee did note, however, that the GIROA had asked Korea for
training in two areas: emergency first aid and taekwondo.
Lee said that taekwondo was taken seriously in Afghanistan
and that an Afghan national had won a bronze medal in the
sport during the 2008 Olympic Games.


4. (C) Lee expects Korea's Parliament to discuss issues
surrounding the PRT in approximately two weeks. If GOK plans
are approved, as is expected, Korea will begin construction
of its PRT in early March 2010. The GOK hopes to open the
PRT by July 2010, but Korean construction companies currently
face shortages of manpower and materials. Lee stressed that
"Korea is committed to opening the PRT as soon as possible."


5. (C) During an informal exchange with SRAP Holbrooke's
delegation after the bilateral meeting, Lee spoke of his
desire to work closely with the United States in Afghanistan.
He said that Korea would make office space within its PRT
available for USG use. He also expressed a willingness to
meet with Holbrooke's team during his next visit to
Washington, currently scheduled for December 17-18. Finally,
after contemplating the sources of funding to the Taliban,
Lee inquired about the possibility of U.S. Treasury-led
technical training on illicit finance issues.


6. (U) The SRAP delegation did not review this cable.

MURRAY
.