By Jung Sung-ki
The Cabinet approved a plan Tuesday to send a battalion of combat troops to the United Arab Emirates next year on a two-year mission to support the training of the Arab nation’s service members.
The Ministry of National Defense last week announced that about 130 special warfare forces would be dispatched to the Emirates.
The decision to send troops to the UAE is part of broader defense cooperation plans between the two nations, following Seoul’s successful winning of a $20 billion contract to build four nuclear reactors there.
Ministry officials say the troop dispatch to the UAE would promote South Korea's interests in a non-conflict environment, where economic ties would also benefit.
The proposed plan, subject to approval by the National Assembly, is expected to trigger controversy in parliament as opposition parties have vowed to vote against it, citing safety concerns for the troops.
The ruling Grand National Party has 171 seats in the 299-member legislature, while the main opposition Democratic Party holds 87 seats.