Seoul may set up camp in northern Afghanistan

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said yesterday that South Korea was reviewing a northern province in Afghanistan to set up an independent camp for both soldiers and civilian aid workers.

"The government is looking at a couple of regions including Parwan Province, which is thought to be the most suitable of the candidate areas," Yu said in a briefing.

Parwan is immediately north of the Afghan capital of Kabul. Other areas being considered include Bamyan, west of Parwan. Kapisa also was previously considered as it is in the vicinity of the U.S. Air Force base in Bagram, as with Parwan.

Yu`s comments came after an inter-agency government team was dispatched to Afghanistan for an on-site due diligence that lasted for a week. The unannounced visit was made by a delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Yong-joon starting on Nov. 12.

The minister said that security would be the utmost factor for selecting the locale for the camp, in addition to how effectively the camp would operate with the South Korean reconstruction workers in the U.S. Bagram Air Base.

From South Korea, there are 24 medical and job-training experts at the base assisting the reconstruction efforts of the U.S. team.



The Foreign Ministry last month announced that it plans to increase the number of civilian aid workers to strengthen the Provincial Reconstruction Team efforts for rebuilding Afghanistan amid the NATO war on terrorism.

The number of workers is expected to be ramped up to 130 so that Seoul may operate an independent PRT, complete with a base. Some 300 soldiers also are expected to be sent to protect the civilian workers, assuming the government receives National Assembly approval by the year`s end.

Yu yesterday said the government would work out the details after discussions with the Afghan government and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

South Korea has stressed that its decision to send soldiers and more civilians were due in part to requests from the Afghan government, and also Seoul`s own willingness to contribute to international peacekeeping efforts.

Public sentiment, however, has yet to be gauged.

South Koreans remain wary of Afghanistan after a team of South Korean missionary workers was held captive by the Taliban in 2007, with two killed.

Seoul, based on a pledge it made to the Taliban in return for the return of the hostages, pulled out some 200 army medics and engineers from Afghanistan at the end of 2007.

The pullout had already been planned before the Taliban captured the missionary workers.

Defense Ministry sources yesterday pointed out that the pledge did not include promises not to resend forces to the region.

Security concerns linger, as militants attacked a South Korean company operating in Afghanistan three times since last month. There were no casualties or injuries, Foreign Ministry officials said.

(jemmie@heraldm.com)



By Kim Ji-hyun