SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean Defense Ministry said on Monday that it will complete the withdrawal of all the 210South Korean troops in Afghanistan by mid-December.

    "The soldiers will be withdrawn before the Dec. 19 presidential election," officials of the Defense Ministry told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

    The South Korean government pledged to pull out all its troops from the country earlier in return for the release of 23 South Koreans kidnapped by Taliban militants in July.

    South Korea deploys about 60 medics and 150 engineers in Afghanistan.

    Local media said South Korea is to complete the withdrawal of the troops on Dec. 14. Instead of the troops, Seoul will send 20 civilians and government officials to Afghanistan as part of a regional reconstruction team, local reports said.