S. Korean peacekeepers in Lebanon safe after mortar fire nearby: official

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean peacekeeing forces in Lebanon remain
unharmed by mortar fire launched from Israel into the surrounding region but are
operating under the highest alert, a defense official here said Friday.
"The bomb shells fell about 10 kilometers from the area where the Dongmyeong
contingent is located," Park Sung-woo, a spokesman at the Ministry of National
Defense, said. "But no harm has been done."
South Korea has some 360 troops stationed in Lebanon's southern city of Tyre as
part of the U.N. Interim Force In Lebanon, or UNIFIL.
Park said UNIFIL has raised the threat level for all its units in the region to
red, the highest, and banned its troops from leaving their bases since the mortar
attacks on Thursday (Korean time).
samkim@yna.co.kr
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