The South Korean Defense Ministry said Wednesday that all South Korean troops stationed in Iraq will be pulled out from the Middle East country by Dec. 20 this year.

"There are no changes to the basic plan to withdraw the Zaytun unit before the end of December," said Won Tae-jae, spokesman for the ministry, at a daily press briefing.

The South Korean troops will transfer all its missions to U.S. forces in Iraq and start pulling out in early December, Won said.

Part of the South Korean troop's equipment will be donated to Iraqi forces and the rest will be shipped back to the country via a cargo ship by early next year, he said.

South Korea decided to extend its troops' deployment in Iraq last year under the request of the U.S. side. The deployment expires at the end of this year.

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean government did not request the National Assembly for another extension as there has been no request from the United States for an extended stay of the South Korean contingent in Iraq.

South Korea began to station troops in Iraq in 2004. There are about 520 South Korean soldiers are deployed in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2008)