South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is lifted by an unidentified South Korean Army soldier upon his arrival at their base in Irbil, northern Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004. Roh made a surprise visit Wednesday to northern Iraq where 3,600 South Korean troops are helping rebuild the violence-wracked country. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Kim Dong-jin)
South Korean president makes surprise visit to troops in Iraq
SEOUL (AFP) - South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun made a surprise visit to his troops in northern Iraq on his way home from a European tour, a top presidential aide said.
Lee Byung-Wan, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said the visit had been kept secret for security reasons.
"President Roh Moo-Hyun has just concluded a visit to the Zaitun (South Korean military) unit in Arbil, Iraq, on his way back home from Paris," Lee told reporters.
He said the visit was to "encourage" the troops.
South Korean media pool reports from Iraq said Roh, wearing an army jacket, had meals and chats with troops during his 120-minute stay.
"Thank you all so much. It may be a short meeting, but it is such a happy time," he was quoted as telling the soldiers at a mess hall.
"I'm so proud of you."
Yonhap news agency photos showed a smiling Roh chatting with or waving to soldiers, who applauded him.
Roh took a special flight from France, the final leg of his three-nation European tour, to Kuwait before reaching the Kurdish-controlled town of Arbil on a military plane, according to officials.
In February parliament approved the dispatch of up to 3,600 troops for relief and rehabilitation in Iraq until the end of this year.
But the dispatch was delayed for months against a background of growing anti-war protests and it was only in late September that South Korea completed the deployment of 2,800 troops in Arbil.
The mission was reportedly reinforced by another 800 troops in November.
The government has asked parliament to extend the mission by another year until December 31, 2005 and it is almost certain to agree.
Seoul sent troops to Iraq at the request of the United States. More than 30,000 American troops are stationed in South Korea as a defence against North Korea.
The South Korean contingent is the third largest among the US-led allied forces stationed in Iraq.
The Seoul government has restricted media access to the soldiers, citing security reasons following the murder of a South Korean translator by Islamic militants in Iraq in June.
South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun (C) is surrounded during a visit to the Korean troops stationed in Iraq in Arbil. Roh paid a morale-boosting visit to South Korean troops based in Iraq.(AFP/Park Kyung-Mo)