The Zaytun Division (; ) was a Republic of Korea Army contingent operating in Iraq from September 2004 to December 2008, carrying out peacekeeping and other reconstruction-related tasks as South Korea's contribution to the Iraq War. Formation South Korea dispatched a small contingent of 600 military medics and engineers (the 320th Medical Assistance 'Jerma' Unit and the 1100th Construction Engineer 'Seoheui' Unit) to predominantly Shia areas in Southern Iraq in April 2003. The United States government asked South Korea to send additional forces on September 4, 2003. Upon request, Seoul formed the Division 'Zaytun' (transcription of Arabic word , 'olive') which stressed the peace-keeping role of the troops. An additional 2,200 troops (mostly engineers) were deployed to Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq by early September 2004 and were grouped with the humanitarian troops who were relocated from Southern Iraq. The combined unit consisted of 2,800 soldiers. Another 800 soldiers were dispatched to reinforce the existing troops in Arbil in November 2004, thus increasing the size of South Korea's contingent to 3,600. Order of battle 11th Reconstruction Brigade 111th Reconstruction Battalion 112th Reconstruction Battalion 12th Reconstruction Brigade 121st Reconstruction Battalion 122nd Reconstruction Battalion 320th Medical Assistance Unit 'Jima' 1100th Construction Engineer Unit 'Seoheui' Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command (2 Battalion) Republic of Korea Army Commando (1 Battalion) Republic of Korea Marine Corps (1 Company) Timeline and background Impassioned opposition to the deployment among both politicians and the public peaked during the captivity of South Korean Kim Sun-il, who was kidnapped on June 17, 2004, and after his execution on June 22, 2004. The incident occurred while the bulk of the Korean contingent was being prepared for its upcoming deployment and triggered a major public debate as to whether they should be sent, involving sometimes violent and vocally anti-American protests. On October 10, 2004, a little-known Islamist group threatened South Korea in a video posted on an Arabic-language website, promising that they would "make Korea suffer" if its troops were not withdrawn within two weeks. The warning outlined how Korean troops would be attacked "one by one" and also that their families would be targeted in Korea itself. About a week beforehand, Ayman al-Zawahiri mentioned South Korea in a list of countries allied to the US that should be targeted by volunteers. Subsequently, Korean embassies were instructed by then Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to strengthen security. Former