Top South Korean military officials have left for Iraq for discussions with the U.S. military on pending issues related to Seoul's planned deployment of additional troops to the Gulf nation.

The chief operations director at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Kim Jang-su, will meet with the U.S. military commander in Iraq, Ricardo Sanchez, to discuss unresolved matters. Those issues will include the matter of U.S. soldiers who will remain stationed in the northern Iraqi region of Kirkuk following South Korea's deployment of its own troops into the area.

The four-member delegation will return to Seoul Friday.

Last month, the National Assembly gave final approval to a government proposal to deploy three thousand-600 troops to Kirkuk. The contingent includes one thousand-400 combat troops.

South Korea has already deployed hundreds of army engineers and medics to southern Iraq to help with reconstruction in the war-torn country.