Roh asks cooperation from Uri Party in troop sending to Iraq

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday requested cooperation from the pro-government Uri Party in contributing troops to the US-led coalition to rebuild war-ravaged Iraq, according to Yonhap.

In a meeting with senior Uri Party officials, Roh said conditions have become aggravated in sending troops to Iraq, but the environment has become favorable to South Korea in doing so.

But the South Korean president has stood firm on his commitmentto sending 3,600 troops to the Arab state, which would make Seoul the largest coalition partner after the United States and Britain.

South Korea had originally agreed to send additional troops to Iraq for reconstruction missions, but the plan was delayed after security there deteriorated and the South Korean government pickedanother site for its troop dispatch.

Roh's plea came as a group of 67 Uri Party lawmakers, mostly first-term legislators, have joined forces to urge the government to reconsider the troop dispatch plan, saying it is unjustified.

Public pressure has been mounting for the South Korean government to scrap its plan to send the troops following the Iraqi prisoners' abuse by the coalition forces.

The troop deployment plan is unpopular here, but government officials believe that it would help strengthen the South Korea-USalliance.

Source: Xinhua