Members voted 179 to 68 in favour of the motion several hours after President Roh delivered an appeal for support in his first speech to the National Assembly since his inauguration in February.

"The government motion to send troops to Iraq has passed parliament," said National Assembly speaker Park Kwan-Yong following the vote count.

Fearing a public backlash, legislators have twice put off a vote on the unpopular motion that has brought thousands of anti-war protestors onto the streets of South Korea.

As the vote took place, some 2,000 protesters, outnumbered by riot police, gathered outside the National Assembly to condemn the US-led war. Scuffles broke out as protestors stormed the gates of the parliament complex.

In his speech, Roh appealed to the self-interest of South Koreans in seeking a peaceful resolution to the nuclear stand-off with the North that has damaged the economy and raised tension throughout the region.

"For a peaceful solution to the North Korea nuclear issue, solid South Korea-US cooperation is very important," the president said.

SPACE.WIRE