South Korea plans to use a locally produced mine-clearing vehicle to help remove landmines in Iraq. The vehicle, dubbed MCV-DOVE, had successfully completed the removal of landmines from the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone in preparation for the reconnection of an inter-Korean railway linking Seoul and Sinuiju. The Zaitun Unit in Irbil says that the MCV-DOVE, developed by the head of the private Mine Research Institute, Kim Ki-ho, is well-suited to the Iraqi terrain. A Defense Ministry official said on Tuesday that massive amounts of blind shells and landmines pockmark surrounding areas in Irbil, posing a threat to the safety of South Korean troops stationed there. Under the circumstances, the Seoul government has reportedly decided to accept the proposal to field a mine-removing vehicle in the area as part of local reconstuction efforts.