SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The South Korean government has yet to make a decision on the Iraq-bound combat troop dispatch, according to a senior aid of President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday.

　　In a telephone interview, the aid who demanded anonymity told Xinhua that "It's too early to say our government has the intention to dispatch combat troops to Iraq."

　　"More talks have to be held on the issue," said the presidential aid, adding "Our government will start discussion on the troop dispatch issue today."

　　Richard Lawless, US deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia and the Pacific, who visited Seoul early September to attend South Korean-US military talks, delivered the request for South Korea's combat troops to Iraq.

　　Moreover, according to a report of Yonhap News Agency on Monday, Washington has requested South Korea to send "a relatively large number of combat troops" to Iraq that can operate independently without the help of other forces.

　　Considering that the United States is seeking two divisions or about 20,000-30,000 additional troops from its allies to be deployed in Iraq, South Korea may have to dispatch a brigade of some 3,000-4,000 troops, Yonhap quoted a source in the Foreign Ministry as saying.

　　Seoul has already sent 675 non-combat troops to Iraq, also at the request of its ally, the United States.

　　Sending troops to Iraq is a very politically charged issue hereas many criticized the United States for starting the Iraqi war without UN authorization.

　　Currently, the Untied States is stationing a 130,000-strong force in Iraq, backed up by 21,000 troops from 21 countries. Enditem