Seoul - South Korea said Friday that it plans to send troops to Afghanistan to protect its citizens engaged in reconstruction work there, nearly two years after it withdrew its soldiers from the conflict-ridden country. An "appropriate number" of police and troops are to be dispatched to protect a South Korean reconstruction team, the Foreign Ministry said.
The plan, which must be approved by the National Assembly, was announced as South Korea plans to increase the number of its civilians working to rebuild Afghanistan.
"The Afghan government has so far asked our government through various channels to expand support for the stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan," a ministry spokesman said.
The ministry said the troops would not be engaged in combat operations but would defend the reconstruction team from attack.
The ministry did not say when and how many soldiers would be dispatched, but media reports citing ministry officials said more than 200 soldiers and police officers are to be deployed at the beginning of next year while the reconstruction workers are to be increased from 25 to 130.
South Korea withdrew 200 army medics and technicians from Afghanistan in 2007 after a five-year deployment.
The withdrawal - although long planned - was carried out by the government in an agreement with Taliban militants for the release of kidnapped South Koreans.
The Taliban abducted 23 members of a Christian missionary group in July 2007. Two were killed, and the others were released.
