South Korean Says Bye Bye To Iraq

South Korean Says Bye Bye To Iraq (NSI News Source Info) December 4, 2008: South Korea is withdrawing its peacekeeping troops from Iraq by the end of the year, after having been there since 2004.

Only 500 troops remain, although the South Koreans once had as many of 3,300 troops stationed in northern Iraq. South Korean soldiers stand at attention during an end of mission ceremony in their military camp in Arbil, 310 km (190 miles) north of Baghdad, December 1, 2008. South Korean soldiers officially ended their four-year military mission in Iraq on Monday, and plan to bring back all of their remaining troops before Christmas, a U.S. military official said The South Koreans were in the Kurdish part of the country, and there was little violence. So the South Koreans spent most of their time doing reconstruction work.

They helped run a hospital, and built 280 facilities. The South Koreans will leave behind 18,000 items of equipment, and a base, all of which they are donating to the Iraqi government.

The South Koreans made a good impression on the Kurds, and Iraqis in general, both for their generosity, and apparent readiness to deal with any violence that might come along.