S. Korea seeks parliamentary approval for Afghan deployment bill

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea requested its parliament Friday to pass a
bill allowing for the deployment of up to 350 troops to Afghanistan where South
Korean civilians are assisting reconstruction efforts, officials said.

The request came four days after the government finalized plans to deploy a
regular contingent of 320 troops to Parwan Province from mid-2010 through the end
of 2012 to protect a provincial reconstruction team, or PRT.
It also came as the Taliban warned this week of "bad consequences" for South
Korea if the country goes ahead with its planned deployment. In 2007, South Korea
withdrew more than 200 military medics and engineers from Afghanistan after it
won the release of nearly two dozen Christian missionaries from the insurgents.
The Taliban, which killed two missionaries during negotiations with South Korea,
claims the government pledged not to re-deploy troops, which Seoul denies.
The bill submitted Friday and set to be examined by the National Assembly's
national security committee next week is widely expected to pass as the ruling
party holds the majority in parliament.
The Grand National Party called for measures to step up security for the troops
after the Taliban threat, while the main opposition Democratic Party said the
deployment plan should be scrapped.
South Korea's contingent will be accompanied by helicopters and a reconnaissance
drone, according to defense officials, who downplay the likelihood of the troops
taking part in U.S. operations aimed at rooting out Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
Faced with resistance that continues to vex the U.S. government, President Barack
Obama last week announced plans to send 30,000 more American troops next year.
South Korea said it would send troops to Afghanistan after U.S. Defense Secretary
Robert Gates visited Seoul in October for annual security talks between the
allies.
Gates made no request for South Korea to contribute troops, but called on Seoul
to make efforts in Afghanistan on par with its economic and diplomatic standing.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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