IRAQ: ENGINEERS FROM SOUTH KOREAN ARMY AND U.S. MILITARY WORK SIDE BY SIDE SURVEYING WAR TORN SITES

Record ID: 344971

  • Title: IRAQ: ENGINEERS FROM SOUTH KOREAN ARMY AND U.S. MILITARY WORK SIDE BY SIDE SURVEYING WAR TORN SITES
  • Date: 24th April 2003
  • Summary: (W6) NASSIRIYA, IRAQ (APRIL 22, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV SOUTH KOREAN AND U.S. ENGINEERS IN NASSIRIYA, EXAMINING SITE OF A FORMER IRAQ MILITARY BARRACKS; MV WRECKAGE IN BARRACKS ROOMS (5 SHOTS) 0.43 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COLONEL JEONG KWANG, CHIEF COORDINATOR OF KOREAN TEAM SAYING "We came here to identify our tasks, reconstructing the Iraqi country. We came here with one battalion unit and one medical unit. We can help the Iraqi people reconstruct their country and also to cure their mind and body so we hope they can live and peace and prosperity. So this will be our gift to the Iraqi people." 1.12 3. SLV ENGINEERS WITH MEASURING TAPE; MV SOUTH KOREAN AND U.S. MILITARY ENGINEERS AROUND BRIDGE THAT NEEDS REPAIR; MV MILITARY TRUCKS NEAR BRIDGE; MV ENGINEERS EXAMINGING MAPS (11 SHOTS) 2.28 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAJOR RAYMOND BOSSERT, REGIMENTAL OPERATIONS OFFICER, TASK FORCE ENDURANCE, U.S. ARMY, SAYING "We are assigned the engineering unit to the marine corp south of the Euphrates River. The plan we are working now is the rebuilding of Iraqi structures south of the Euphrates river: schools, hospitals, roads, the civilian infrastructure. We are currently doing reconnaissance of all of these locations to identify what needs they need, construction needs, electrical, plumbing, then we assign teams to work on those for a period of thirty to sixty days. During that time we will work on those ourselves using army engineers, marine engineers, navy Seabees, and in this case a unit of Korean engineers that were assigned to us to build these structures to turn those over to international and non-government agencies so they can complete the structures." 3.17 5. MV SOUTH KOREAN AND U.S. ENGINEERS OUTSIDE FORMER IRAQI BARRACKS (2 SHOTS) 3.32 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NASSIRIYA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA8YPUIJ6QY44MC87STPLI0GHVV
  • Story Text: Engineers from the South Korean army and the U.S.

    military have been working side-by-side in the southern Iraqi
    town of Nassiriya, surveying war-torn sites in Iraq for
    reconstruction, including a former Iraqi military barracks
    that is slated to be rebuilt into a hospital.

    A former Iraqi army barracks in the Southern city of
    Nassiriya is slated to be converted to a hospital through the
    cooperative efforts of South Korean army engineers and medical
    specialists along U.S. troops. Engineers from both
    countries surveyed the site on Tuesday (April 22, 2003) to find it
    damaged and in disarray.

    600 engineers and 100 medical specialists from South Korea
    worked side by side with U.S. troops to facilitate the
    reconstruction process in the town that saw some of the
    heaviest fighting between U.S. forces and Iraqi troops
    Colonel Jeong Kwang, Chief Coordinator of the Korean team,
    said they were bringing a gift to the Iraqi people.

    "We came here to identify our tasks, reconstructing the
    Iraqi country. We came here with one battalion unit and one
    medical unit. We can help the Iraqi people reconstruct their
    country and also to cure their mind and body so we hope they
    can live and peace and prosperity. So this will be our gift to
    the Iraqi people," Jeong said.

    The engineers also turned their attention to a bridge
    which was left incomplete prior to the war in Iraq. Engineers
    say its completion will open up a major throughway in the area.

    Major Raymond Bossert, Regimental Operations Officer,
    Marine Corps Team Echo, was part of the unit assigned to
    reconstruction projects south of the Euphrates.

    Bossert said, "We are currently doing reconnaissance of
    all of these locations to identify what needs they need
    construction needs, electrical, plumbing, then we assign teams
    to work on those for a period of 30 to 60 days. During that
    time we will work on those ourselves using Army engineers,
    Marine Corps engineers, Navy Seabees, and in this case a unit
    of Korean engineers that were assigned to us to build these
    structures."
    Bossert said their task was part of an overall push to
    rebuild a post-war Iraq and that the structures would be
    turned over to international non-government agencies for final
    completion.


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