A group of military engineers and medics are leaving for Afghanistan Friday to help U.S.-led coalition forces rebuild the war-devastated nation.

Family members of the troops and top military officials attended a send-off ceremony held at an Army school in Gyeonggi Province Thursday.

The 181-strong contingent will join an advance team of 24 soldiers who had already left for Afghanistan last Friday. The new contingent is replacing some 200 military compatriots who are scheduled to return home after a six-month mission in the central Asian country.

The troops from the Dasan and Dong-eui units will join allied forces from 19 countries in Bagram Air Base, located north of Kabul, in providing humanitarian assistance.

South Korea has deployed nearly 680 troops for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan since February 2002 at Washington's request.