Parwan designated as possible site for troop redeployment to Afghanistan

Posted on : 2009-11-18 11:55 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Foreign Minister Yu says troop redeployment will take almost 4 months, thus the Lee administration will not be redeploying troops within the year
 Nov. 17.
Nov. 17.

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-whan has designated Parwan Province, north of Kabul, as a possible area where South Korea soldiers would be redeployed, Nov. 17.

Yu said during a regular briefing, “There are two or three possible areas for dispatching civilian Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), and I think that the area chosen might be Parwan.” He also added, however, “The South Korean government will make a final decision on the site after considering security and synergy effects, etc.”

The South Korean government reportedly plans to take over projects that have been managed by U.S. PRTs in Parwan Province. Parwan is a core area of the U.S. Army, and the South Korean military had also been stationed in this area for five years, from 2002 to 2007. Thus, analysts say the government is considering Parwan as a comparably safe area. It is not, however, a terror-free area given that a suicide bomb attack, which took the lives of two citizens, was staged in front of the governor’s office on Dec. 29, 2008.

Yu said that troop redeployment will be possible in no less than 4 months, thus analysts say the government will not be submiting a motion to redeploy troops within this calendar year.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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