Iraqi defense minister visits South Korea

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The Iraqi and South Korean defense ministers met in Seoul Monday to discuss security issues as Korean troops return from a four-year mission in Iraq.

Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qadir Obeidi praised South Korean capabilities in defense technology and other areas during a visit that included an honor guard presentation by the South Korean military, the official Yonhap news agency reported.

"I know very well that South Korea possesses leading technology in the defense area," the Iraqi minister said.

The Iraqi defense minister is on a five-day tour of South Korea, meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Sang-hee.

The South Korean Zaytan battalion was deployed in Iraq beginning in September 2004. The unit, whose name means "olive" in Arabic, worked on vocational training and other reconstruction activities in the Kurdish region as part of the U.S.-led multinational force.