Korean parliament OKs troop dispatch to Afghanistan

Korea`s parliament on Thursday approved a government plan to send hundreds of troops to Afghanistan to protect civilian aid workers that Seoul will send to help rebuild the war-ravaged country, the Yonhap news agency reported.



The government plans to send 320 troops, 40 police officers and 100 civilian reconstruction workers in July to Charikar, the capital of Afghanistan`s Parwan Province. The forces will be tasked with protecting the reconstruction workers.

The bill passed in a 148-5 vote with 10 abstentions.

Members of the main opposition Democratic Party and other smaller liberal parties boycotted the voting in opposition to the troop dispatch.