S. Korean defense minister to visit Iraq, Lebanon next month

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee will head to Iraq and Lebanon next month to visit South Korean troops deployed there as part of the country's international peacekeeping efforts, the Defense Ministry said Friday.

The minister will also travel to Kuwait during his seven-day trip that will begin
Thursday, Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae told reporters.
"Minister Lee will embark on a trip from Nov. 6 to Nov. 12 to visit units
deployed overseas, such as Zaytun in Iraq, Daiman (in Kuwait) and Dongmyeong in
Lebanon," Won said.
Lee's visit to Iraq comes as the country is moving to pull out all its troops
from the Middle Eastern nation by Dec. 20. The Daiman unit, an air support unit
for the Iraqi contingent, will also be pulled out before the year's end, the
ministry spokesman has said.
Some 360 service members are currently stationed in Lebanon as part of a
28-nation U.N. peacekeeping force, known as the U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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