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It is also considering ways of deploying them in locations other than the Bagram Air Base for American troops in the province of Parwan, where they are currently based.

The medics were dispatched there after military medical and engineering unit were pulled out in December 2007. The team consists of 12 civilian medical staff, four military medical staff, five police officers, and Foreign Ministry officials.

An official said the government decided to increase medical staff to 50 this year and dispatch 20 to 30 civilian vocational trainers, and about 20 police and firefighting trainers. "Government agencies concerned are now fine-tuning a budget allocation and selection of members," he added.

Senior officials of the Obama administration are urging U.S. allies to increase contributions to Afghanistan's reconstruction. The government expects that the policy will help Korea avoid dispatch of fresh combat troops, a heavy political burden for the country.

Currently, 26 teams operated by 14 countries are working in 31 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces. They consist of civilian members and military security troops. The American reconstruction team has about 20,000 members, followed by the French (2,785 members), the Italians (2,350), the Australians (1,090), the Turks (860), the Spanish (780) and the New Zealand team (150).

(englishnews@chosun.com )