Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

South Korea Extends 3,600-Member Iraq Mission

31 December 2004 -- South Korea's parliament has approved a one-year extension of its 3,600-member mission in Iraq.

The National Assembly today approved the extension 161-63 with 54 abstentions. The mission had been set to expire at midnight.

South Korea deployed its forces in the Kurdish town of Irbil last month, becoming the third-largest contributor of troops to the coalition after the United States and Britain.

The government approved extending the troop deployment in November. But parliamentary approval was required.

(AP/Reuters)

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