The South Korean National Assembly voted to approve a one-third reduction of that country's troop levels in Iraq while simultaneously agreeing to keep their forces there another year. The vote was 110-31 in favor with 17 abstentions.
South Korea presently has approximately 3,200 troops in Iraq, the most of any American ally in the Iraq war with the exception of Great Britain. Most of them are in the northern part of the country which is dominated by the Kurds.
The deployment was scheduled to end at the end of this year. The new vote extends the South Korean presence in Iraq until the end of 2006. The one-third reduction of troops will begin in early 2006.
The war in Iraq has grown increasingly unpopular in South Korea. Many South Koreans are concerned about security issues. They fear terrorist attacks against their country if they continue to support the war.
