ROK 2006 Budget Bill Passed...
Troops in Iraq to Stay One More Year.

By Lee Jin-woo
Staff Reporter, The Korea Times

The ruling Uri Party Friday passed the government's budget proposal for 2006 with support from three minor opposition parties at a plenary National Assembly session, despite the boycott from the largest opposition Grand National Party (GNP).

The Assembly also endorsed a government motion calling for the extension of troop deployment to Iraq for another year. Under the measure, the number of South Korean troops stationed in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil will be reduced from the current 3,700 to 2,300 in the first half of this year...

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S. Korea House Okays Extended Troop Stay In Iraq- Rpt - Dec. 31, 2005 - 12:33

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (WAM) - S.Korean parliament on Friday endorsed the defense ministry bill by 110-31 votes with 17 abstentions, effectively granting permission to slash the 3,200-strong South Korean contingent in a Kurdish-controlled area of northern Iraq to 2,300 troops.

The downsized force will still leave South Korea as the second-largest U.S. coalition partner after Britain and will extend their deployment in the Gulf state until the end of next year.

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(Posted 12/31/05)