South Korea says that, despite the hostage crisis in Iraq, it will stand by its earlier plan to send an additional 3,000 troops to Iraq.

Emerging from an emergency meeting of the National Security Council Monday morning, Vice Foreign Minister Choi Young-jin said that there is no change in South Korea's planned dispatch of troops to the Gulf nation as they are being sent there to help with the country's reconstruction efforts.

As for efforts to resuce the South Korean hostage, Kim Sun-il, Choe said the government is sending a high-level delegation to Iraq to negotiate his release as soon as possible.

The government also decided to form an emergency response team composed of officials from relevant ministries.

He said the government is doing its best to obtain the release of the South Korean hostage, but declined to elaborate, citing the sensitive nature of the situation.

Choe also advised South Korean nationals in Iraq to leave the country while also urging South Koreans to refrain from non-essential trips to Iraq.