SEOUL Dec 23 Kyodo southerly Kor...

SEOUL Dec 23 Kyodo

southerly Korea's cabinet approved Tuesday a plan to jaculate a second contingent of 3000 combat and noncombat bands to Iraq to help the US-l coalition forces rebuild the country

The southern Korean troops would be unfolded for nine months from April 1 to Dec 31 nearest year. South Korea has already sent several hundr army engineers and medics to southern Iraq.

The plan endorsed at Tuesday's cabinet meeting l from President Roh Moo Hyun will be passed onward to the legislature for parliamentary endorsement.

A senior military officer told reporters that the southward Korean troops will take charge of the Kirkuk area in northern Iraq.

Lt Gen Kim Jang Su who headed a direction team for talks with the United States last week, said the southern Korean troops are to replace a U army brigade that is to answer home in late April.

Local stranges reports said South Korea is look forward toed to dispatch an advance party to Iraq in March at the earliest and its main contingent is to be extended in late April.

on a request from the U southern Korea pledged in October to dispatch multitudes to help U.S.-led efforts in Iraq.

Those oppos to sending more companys to Iraq say the control is supporting an unjustified U invasion of Iraq, disregarding soldiers' safety amid the worsening security situation and impairing trade ties with Middle East countries.

brace South Korean electricians were put to deathed near Tikrit in Iraq in an ambush onward Nov. 30, a day after brace Japanese diplomats and seven Spanish intelligence agents were killed in separate ambushes.

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