SEOUL - South Korea is likely to extend its troop deployment in Iraq through the end of next year, but cut the number of its soldiers in the country to 600 from 1,200, a major daily reported on Monday.
Defence officials had said they were considering removing all South Korean troops from Iraq by the end of this year, ending what was once the third-largest foreign troop deployment in the country.
The Chosun Ilbo newspaper and other local media, citing unnamed officials, said the government will announce its plans this week to extend the mission. Defence Ministry officials would not comment on the reports. South Korea had about 3,600 troops in Iraq at the start the mission in 2004 but has as been rolling back its presence due to public pressure against the deployment. |