The government is considering a plan to deploy South Korean troops to be dispatched to Iraq in several locations near the northern Kurdish region of Irbil.

Under the plan, the troops would be broken up into three or four smaller units for deployment in several sites around the region.

An official said the plan is being considered for security reasons.

The government plans to send the 3,000-strong Zaitun unit to Iraq by no later than the end of August.