VZCZCXRO9126
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHUL #2333 3400728
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 050728Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2531
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0121

UNCLAS SEOUL 002333 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA DAS RJSCHMIERER AND NEA/I ACBONSU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID KS IZ
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST - REPUBLIC OF KOREA PARTICIPATION 
IN ERBIL RRT 
 
REF: SECSTATE 125603 
 
¶1.  On December 4, poloff delivered reftel demarche to 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) Development 
Cooperation Division's Jong-ho Kyun.  Below are responses to 
questions posed in reftel. 
 
--  The ROK is planning to end participation in the RRT 
because their RRT members will be unprotected once the Zaytun 
Unit departs.  The ROK's RRT members will depart on December 
15 with the Zaytun Unit. 
 
--  However, according to Kyun, the ROKG does not want to 
send the wrong signal to the GOI, so KOICA will stay.  Kyun 
said that the ROK pledged to the GOI that KOICA would remain 
in Iraq until the end of 2011 or 2012, and the ROK plans to 
honor that pledge.  KOICA staff will have two executive 
leaders, 1-2 support staff members, and contractors.  Kyun 
noted that around 50 ROK citizens are planning to remain in 
Erbil, mostly contractors.  Kyun confirmed that the annual 
budget is roughly $10 million. 
 
--  Because of the number of ROK citizens remaining, MOFAT 
will maintain a liason office in Erbil to tend to their 
needs.  However, the liason office will not become a 
consulate, nor does MOFAT plan to establish one.  Two 
diplomats will staff the liason office. 
 
¶2.  Kyun offered the following additional information. 
 
--  The ROKG really has not thought through how their 
personnel in Erbil will be protected.  He said that since the 
Koreans live in the same areas as the Amercians, they believe 
they are safe.  Kyun, on the other hand, believed that the 
ROK will need to hire private security services to protect 
their staff. 
 
--  Kyun frankly noted that he believed the ROK likely will 
maintain some presence in Erbil because Korean companies are 
interested in investing in oil and construction projects. 
STEPHENS