Army officials said Tuesday that when it comes to soldiers, the word "olive" usually refers to the green-gray uniforms they wear, but for South Korean troops to be deployed in Iraq the word will have an additional, symbolic meaning.

An army official, requesting anonymity, said that military authorities have tentatively decided the new troops' symbolic name will be 'zayituun' (the Arabic word for olive) to stress their role in restoring peace and assisting in reconstruction efforts in postwar Iraq.

The official said the new contingent's official unit name is to be the "Iraqi Peace and Reconstruction Division".

The official added that about 140 rank-and-file soldiers proposed their ideas for the unit's nickname, which underwent review by civilian experts on Iraq.

The name is still tentative, as military authorities have yet to get it approved by the defense minister and the National Assembly.