(LEAD) S. Korean FM seeks parliament's support for Afghan aid package

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with ministry spokesman's comments, opposition party's
position, other details; CHANGES headline)
By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan briefed
ruling and opposition parties Thursday on the government's plan to provide
additional support for troubled global efforts to stabilize Afghanistan,
apparently including troop dispatch.
In a weekly diplomatic policy coordination meeting presided over by Yu on
Wednesday, the government made the politically-sensitive decision to send
"non-combat security forces" to the South Asian nation, which continues to be
plagued by terrorist attacks and bloody battles between the Taliban and the
U.S.-led coalition troops.
"The government's aid plan for Afghanistan will be finalized and announced soon,"
foreign ministry spokesman Moon Tae-young said at a press briefing.
Moon and other South Korean government officials have refused to use the words
"troop dispatch," portraying the envisioned mission as solely aimed at protecting
Korea's civilian workers there and ostensibly leaving the door open to
dispatching police.
Foreign ministry insiders said Seoul wants to increase the number of its civilian
workers in Afghanistan to around 130 and send a 300-strong military unit to
operate an independent Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT).
The dispatch would mark a turning point. After the pullout of 200 medics and
engineers in 2007, Seoul has focused on providing medical and vocational training
by assisting the U.S. PRT. Two dozen South Korean volunteers work inside the U.S.
Air Force Base in Bagram, north of Kabul.
Moon said the minister met the heads of the ruling Grand National Party and the
minor opposition Liberty Forward Party and explained about the plan.
Any overseas troop dispatch by South Korea requires parliamentary approval. The
main opposition Democratic Party (DP) did not attend the meeting, saying it did
not have time Thursday due to pressing domestic issues.
"We are trying to reschedule a meeting with the Democratic Party to tomorrow
(Friday)," a ministry official said. "If consultations with the parties proceed
well, we will be able to announce the additional aid plan for Afghanistan as
early as tomorrow. The government will then send a fact-finding team to
Afghanistan sometime next month to set the details such as where and how many
security forces will be deployed."
The liberal DP, emboldened by a victory in Wednesday's by-elections, may oppose
the government's move. The DP has 86 seats with the election outcome, while the
ruling party hold 169 seats in the 299-member legislature.
Many South Koreans view the global campaign in Afghanistan as America's war and
suspect Washington may have pressured Seoul to offer military help. Defense
Secretary Robert Gates urged South Korea to play a bigger role in international
security during his trip here last week, although he did not directly request
troop dispatch.
U.S. President Barack Obama is also scheduled to travel to Seoul in mid-November.
"We need to have internal consultations on the issue, but it is true that
negative sentiment is dominant," DP spokesman Woo Sang-ho said. "There is no
reason for troop dispatch again as South Korea sent troops there and withdrew
them."
South Korean officials stressed that the country's role in Afghanistan will be
decided "independently" in accordance with its enhanced global status.
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)