Seoul in Dilemma Over Iraq Troops

South Korea is facing a dilemma over the troop dispatch to Iraq as a growing number of civic activists have urged the government to withdraw its decision to send additional troops, citing security concerns in the region.

Some officials worry that South Korea's reluctance to commit on the Iraq issue may damage the alliance between Seoul and Washington.

After announcing its decision to send a second contingent to Iraq to join 675 army engineers and medics operating there since the summer, South Korea has yet to reach an agreement on the number and role of the troops.

Government agencies have been divided between those who support the idea of dispatching noncombatants and those who would prefer to send combat troops.

Putting a lid on the dispute, President Roh Moo-hyun laid down a guideline that South Korea would limit the number of troops going to Iraq to 3,000, and that they would be responsible mainly for taking charge of reconstruction efforts there.

Analysts predict South Korea will encounter rough sailing in its negotiations with the United States when U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visits Seoul for talks next week because President Roh`s decision falls short of the U.S. thinly-veiled request for 5,000 combat troops to help maintain stability and security in the war-torn Middle Eastern country.

Rumsfeld will attend the Security Consultative Meeting, an annual consultation between the defense ministers of the two countries, from Nov. 17-18.

However, other officials said the new guideline would not jeopardize Korea-U.S. ties because it meets the U.S. demand that the South should assume control of a certain area.

"President Roh`s latest instruction allows Korean forces to operate independently in a certain Iraqi region, which will provide practical help to the United States," a government official said.

Another official said it was too early to predict what impact the new regulation would have on Seoul-Washington ties because it is not a final proposal.