'저는 그들의 땅을 지키기 위하여 싸웠던 인디안들의 이야기를 기억합니다. 백인들이 그들의 신성한 숲에 도로를 만들기 위하여 나무들을 잘랐습니다. 매일밤 인디안들이 나가서 백인들이 만든 그 길을 해체하면 그 다음 날 백인들이 와서 도로를 다시 짓곤 했습니다. 한동안 그 것이 반복되었습니다. 그러던 어느날, 숲에서 가장 큰 나무가 백인들이 일할 동안 그들 머리 위로 떨어져 말과 마차들을 파괴하고 그들 중 몇몇을 죽였습니다. 그러자 백인들은 떠났고 결코 다시 오지 않았습니다….' (브루스 개그논)





For any updates on the struggle against the Jeju naval base, please go to savejejunow.org and facebook no naval base on Jeju. The facebook provides latest updates.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Text Fwd: Korea launches contingent for dispatch to Afghanistan

Korea Times
Korea launches contingent for dispatch to Afghanistan
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff reporter

The Army launched a 320-strong unit to be dispatched to Afghanistan to protect 100 Korean civilian reconstruction workers, Tuesday.

The unit, named ``Ashena'' meaning friend or colleague in the local language, will be sent to Parwan Province in July for a two-year mission.

About 40 police officers will also be deployed to the terrorism-ridden Central Asian country.

A motion for the unit's deployment was approved by the National Assembly last February.

``The security of Parwan is relatively safer than those of other regions in Afghanistan, but you should have high-level alertness and operational readiness against the enemy's various threats,'' Army Chief of Staff Gen. Han Min-koo said during a ceremony marking the inauguration of the contingent at an Army base south of Seoul.

The unit will undergo maneuvers and devise action plans on emergency situations before its departure, according to the Army.

The contingent will be equipped with four helicopters, armored vehicles, a mini-unmanned aerial vehicle, K11 airburst rifles, high-resolution CCTV and thermal imagers, Army officials said.

Deploying portable explosive detectors and robot systems is also under consideration, they said.

Korea withdrew engineering and medical units from Afghanistan in December 2007 after years of reconstruction operations there and has since been contributing to the security of Afghanistan by joining the NATO-led provincial reconstruction team (PRT).

The PRT is a unit administering international aid to Afghanistan and Iraq, consisting of civilians and military specialists who perform small construction projects or provide security for others involved in aid and reconstruction work.


gallantjung@koreatimes.co.krmailto:

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