President Roh Moo-hyun said Wednesday that amid the security uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula it would be incomprehensible for the public for Seoul to dispatch soldiers overseas.
Seems Very French
At a press conference with reporters from news outlets in Busan, Ulsan and South Kyeongsang province, Roh said Korea would send its troops to Iraq only under assurances of the peninsula’s stability. He also said that the attitudes of North Korea and of the United States in particular, toward the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons program would be crucial for the deployment decision. The president’s remarks have attracted spotlight attention because they suggest that he may link the dispatch question to the outlook for and results of the six-party talks. Ban Ki-moon, the presidential adviser for foreign policy, said that Roh meant to say that he would decide on the dispatch after considering all factors related to stability in Korea, and that the six-party talks were one of the factors. President Roh stressed the importance of a resolution being adopted by the United Nations to sanction the occupation of Iraq. He also noted the significance of international sentiment toward the multinational forces, as to whether they are regarded as invaders or peacekeeping forces.
I know of some troops in Korea that do not require Korean approval |