The North's ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said the South's parliament committed "a monstrous crime" in passing a motion last week to allow 3,600 troops to stay in northern Iraq for until December 2005.

"This step ... is a pro-US traitorous act of yielding to US pressure, in disregard of the people's mindset," Rodong said.

"It is a monstrous crime impairing the dignity of the nation and its life and soul to be involved in the Iraqi war."

The South Korean contingent, the third largest among the US-led allied forces stationed in Iraq, is based in the Kurdish-controlled town of Arbil for relief and rehabilitation.

The mission in Iraq was originally due to expire at the end of 2004 before parliament approved a government motion extending it by one year.

"The motion will expose south Korean land to indiscriminate terrorism by anti-US armed forces," Rodong warned.

Seoul sent troops to Iraq at the request of the United States. More than 30,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea as a defense against North Korea.

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