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Opposition calls for SOFA revision

Posted July. 31, 2000 21:09,   

한국어

The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) pressured the government for the overall revision of unfair clauses in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), including issues of legal jurisdiction over criminal suspects and environmental safeguards.

The GNP¡¯s special panel on SOFA revision, headed by Rep. Park Hee-Tae, held a general meeting attended by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade Ban Ki-Moon to discuss the government¡¯s stance and preliminary negotiations with the U.S. before talks between the two countries reopen Wednesday.

The panel called for a comprehensive, detailed revision of the clauses, items of agreement and addendum included in the SOFA. In the wake of the illegal dumping of toxic chemicals by the U.S. Forces in Korea, the lawmakers particularly demanded that environmental protection clauses compatible with domestic environmental laws be included in the revision.