hankyoreh

The Defense Ministry said Monday it will complete the pullout of the 210 South Korean troops stationed in Afghanistan before South Korea's presidential election in mid-December.

"The soldiers will be fully withdrawn before the Dec. 19 presidential election," a Defense Ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.

South Korea has decided not to extend the deployment of about 60 medics of the Dongui unit and 150 engineers of the Dasan unit, whose mandate expires at the end of this year, although the U.S.

has asked Seoul to continue contributing troops to the U.S.-led coalition forces in the country.

The withdrawal is one of the pledges the Seoul government made to the Taliban in return for the release of 21 South Korean aid workers kidnapped by the insurgent group in July, although the decision for the withdrawal was made before the abduction.

Two of the hostages were killed amid protracted negotiations for the release of the abductees. Seoul also promised to ban all South Korean missionary activity in the predominantly Islamic country.

Defense sources said South Korea is to wrap up the withdrawal of the two units on Dec. 14. Instead of the troops, Seoul will send 20 civilians and government officials to Afghanistan as part of a regional reconstruction team, they added.

Unlike the withdrawal from Afghanistan, South Korea plans to extend the deployment of its troops in Iraq, a decision likely to face a rocky legislative hearing.

The Defense Ministry said Monday that it submitted a motion for the plan to the National Assembly. Under the motion, the Zaytun unit's mission will be prolonged until the end of 208 but the number of its size reduced to 650. The ministry plans to bring back 250 soldiers this month and 350 others next month. Zaytun means olive in Arabic.

The National Assembly is to vote in December on whether to endorse the government's request to extend the mandate of the troops in the war-ravaged Middle Eastern country.


SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap)