By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

The National Assembly passed a motion to dispatch civilian workers accompanied by security forces to Afghanistan in a vote of 148-5 with 10 abstentions.

Lawmakers of the opposition parties walked out of the Assembly's main chamber before the vote to express their objection. Legislators of the governing Grand National Party voted for the proposal.

The endorsement paves the way for stationing up to 350 workers and troops in Parwan Province near Kabul from July 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2012 to support the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT).

Currently, 30 civilians are working on reconstruction efforts at the Bagram airbase, providing vocational programs and police training.

Opposition lawmakers have opposed the troop redeployment to Afghanistan, arguing it will make South Korea a major target for international terrorism.

They said the dispatch could not be justified under any circumstances, noting that security there was unstable.

While noting the troop dispatch to Afghanistan may help bolster the Korea-U.S. alliance, they said it would take its toll on the safety of Koreans.

Ruling party legislators linked the troop deployment to the expansion of the nation's role in the international community.

"We were called upon by the Afghan government, as well as the international community, to contribute our expertise in reconstruction to help the war-torn nation," said Rep. Hwang Jin-ha.

"We will not only build bridges there, but also share our development experience with the Afghan government. Koreans rose from the ashes of the Korean War and became a donor nation. Our troops will share our knowledge with Afghanistan to help them get over their difficulties," he said.

Korea withdrew its troops, medics and engineers from Afghanistan in 2007 after 23 Christians who went there for short-term missionary work were kidnapped by the Taliban.

Two of the hostages were killed, while the remaining 21 were released under the condition that Seoul withdrew its troops from the country.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr