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South Korea's plans to continue contributions to the U.S.-led efforts to stabilize post-war Afghanistan have come under public scrutiny again following last week's summit between President Lee Myung-bak and his counterpart George W. Bush.

Seoul brought back home about 200 troops from Afghanistan late last year, mostly medics and engineers, ending their six-year mission in the war-torn state as part of U.S. coalition forces.

The withdrawal came amid growing security concerns after a South Korean soldier was killed in a terrorist bomb attack at a U.S. military base in Bagram, 80km north of Kabul, last March and 23 South Korean voluntary workers were abducted in southern Afghanistan last summer. Two of them were killed but all the others were released unharmed due to a deal between the Taliban kidnappers and the South Korean authorities.

South Korea reportedly paid a handsome ransom and reaffirmed its plan to withdraw all the troops by the year's end to win the release.

The government says it has no plan to dispatch soldiers again to Afghanistan despite U.S. requests that Seoul play a greater role than just taking part in the civilian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT).

Seoul is instead considering sending police officers to help train their Afghan counterparts, according to the presidential office, a move media outlets here define as the first gift for Washington stemming from the summit.

The presidents of South Korea and the U.S. agreed in their summit to form a "21 century strategic alliance."

The two sides agreed to continue cooperation in addressing "global issues such as nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, global coalition against terrorism, and peacekeeping operations," according to a joint press release.

Critics say sending police to Afghanistan may signal the dispatch of troops, raising the possibility of stimulating the Taliban and other local insurgents. They say the safety of South Koreans there may be put in peril.

Currently, 97 South Koreans including embassy officials and business figures are staying in Afghanistan.

A senior Foreign Ministry official said no firm decision has been made yet on the matter.

"Cheong Wa Dae and related ministries are considering various ways of contributing to the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan," the official said, asking not to be named.

Even if South Korea sends police, no troops will accompany them because the multinational forces there will be in charge of their security, he added.

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap)