By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
South Korea, which withdrew its troops from Afghanistan late last year, is now considering dispatching dozens of policemen to the war-torn country in May.
Presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan confirmed Wednesday that at least 10 policemen will be dispatched to the central Asian country, where Allied Forces are waging war with the Taliban.
The spokesman denied allegations of a troop dispatch to the country, saying ``No Korean soldier will follow the policemen.''
Cheong Wa Dae officials said the policy came after Rep. Chung Mong-joon ― as a special envoy to the U.S. of President Lee ― was requested by U.S. officials to send Korean policemen.
``If the mission is realized, the Korean delegates to Afghanistan are supposed to train Afghan policemen,'' a presidential aide said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates reportedly asked Rep. Chung for the Korean government to re-deploy troops to Afghanistan to train police and military personnel when he visited the United States in February.
This followed earlier reports that Kathleen Stephens, the U.S. ambassador-designate to Seoul, said she hopes to discuss Korea's redeployment of troops to the country.
Korea pulled out its engineering and medical units last December, five years after they were first deployed. The withdrawal was in accord with a promise made upon the release of South Korean volunteer workers who had been held hostage by Taliban insurgents.
Critics allege the scheduled policemen dispatch was Lee's other ``gift'' to U.S. President George W. Bush, in addition to his alleged concessions in a beef imports deal.
``The anxiety about the safety of Korean residents in Afghanistan could grow again if the dispatch is pushed,'' a civic group official said.