hankyoreh

South Korea plans to speed up its preparation for the pullout of more than 200 soldiers in Afghanistan after a deal with the Taliban on the release of 19 Korean hostages, officials here said Wednesday.

They also indicated that Seoul's future role in Afghanistan _ possibly as a member of the civil-military Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) _ will be limited.

The withdrawal of the troops is a key condition of the hard-won agreement that heralded an end to the six-week hostage crisis.

A National Assembly resolution requires about 60 medics of the Dongui unit and 150 engineers of the Dasan unit to terminate their humanitarian mission in the war-ravaged nation and return home by the end of this year, although the U.S. has asked South Korea to continue its contribution there.

"I asked for reconsideration, particularly with the Republic of Korea's representation in Afghanistan and its participation in the provincial reconstruction teams," U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M.

Gates said after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Kim Jang-soo in Singapore on the sidelines of the Sixth Asia Security Summit in June.

But South Korea has reaffirmed its plan to withdraw the units stationed in a U.S. military base in Bagram, about 80 km north of the Afghan capital, Kabul.

"There is no change in the schedule to withdraw the troops by the end of this year," Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-gi said.

He refused to elaborate, but a senior official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Seoul will officially notify the U.S.

and other allies of the pullout plan in early September.

The JCS official, asking not to be named, said the military will draw up a detailed strategy for the move of manpower and equipment in cooperation with the U.S.-led coalition forces.

He hinted at a speedy process, saying it would not take a long time as the small contingent of troops carry a minimum of self-defense weapons and much of their construction equipment has been leased in Afghanistan.

Defense sources also said the government will seek to complete the pullout as early as possible to show its will to implement the deal with the Taliban.

Since its dispatch in 2002, the Dongui unit has provided medical services to more than 240,000 soldiers and local residents. The Dasan unit has participated in the construction of roads and buildings since 2003.

South Korea's plan to continue its contribution in Afghanistan through the PRT will likely be affected by the kidnapping case.

The PRT is composed of civilians and military specialists tasked to assist small reconstruction projects or provide security for aid and reconstruction workers.

"The issue of South Korea's participation in the PRT was discussed before this (kidnapping) case," the Defense Ministry spokesman said. "Various situations from this unexpected incident will have to be considered."
SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap)