Zaytun Division

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Zaytun Division

Korean name
Hangul:	(이라크 평화재건 사단) 자이툰 부대
Hanja:	(이라크平和再建師團)자이툰部隊
Revised Romanization:	(Irakeu Pyeonghwajaegeon Sadan) Jaitun Budae
McCune-Reischauer:	(Irak'ŭ P'yŏnghwajaegŏn Sadan) Chait'un Pudae

The Zaytun Division is a contingent of South Korean troops currently operating in Northern Iraq, carrying out peace-keeping and reconstruction tasks.

The Republic of Korea dispatched a small contingent of 600 soldiers ('Seohee' and 'Jema' Units) to predominantly Shia areas of Southern Iraq in 2003. The United States government asked South Korea to send additional forces on September 4, 2003.^[1] Upon request, Seoul formed a division and named it the 'Zaytun' Division, which stresses the peace-keeping role of the troops (as Zaytun means olive in Arabic). The unit consisted of 2,800 soldiers.^[2] Led by Major General Hwang Eui-don, these troops were dispatched to Arbil, Kurdish Autonomous Region in Northern Iraq on August, 2004.

Islamists have threatened South Korea, demanding the removal of their troops from Iraq. However, US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, travelled to Arbil to visit the Korean troops on October 10, 2004. On his way home from a visit to Paris, President Roh Moo-hyun made a surprise visit to the Zaytun Division in Arbil on December 8.

Another 800 soldiers were dispatched to reinforce the existing troops in Arbil at the end of 2004. South Korea now maintains the third largest foreign troops in Iraq, following the US and British.