Donga Ilbo`s Survey of 70 MDP lawmakers on Diplomacy and Security

Members of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) were reported to refrain from debating on reducing or relocating U.S. troops stationed in South Korea in that such debate itself could damage U.S.-Korean joint efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

More than half of MDP members also think that the Korean government should support an imminent U.S.-led war on Iraq in many ways including dispatching troops for more cooperative relations between South Korea and the U.S.

This is according to a survey of 103 MDP lawmakers conducted by this paper on March 16 and 17. A total of 70 lawmakers (68%) responded to the survey and results were based on analysis of their responses.

According to the results, 57 MDP lawmakers, or 81.4% of the respondents, said debate on the reduction or relocation of the American forces should be stopped, while 11 members, or 15.7%, insisted the debate continue because current times require it.

Regarding support of the U.S. war in Iraq, 38 respondents replied considering a South Korean-U.S. alliance, with the South Korean government supporting war efforts, followed by 15 insisting on neutrality and 14 saying that the South Korean government should make clear its opposition against the war.

With respect to how the government should respond if the U.S. asked the country to join in economic sanctions against North Korea for the settlement of the nuclear crisis, 43 respondents, or 61.4%, said that the Korean government should try to resolve the issue through dialogue, rather than sanctions, to the end. Meanwhile, 15 members, or 21.4%, said that the government should join in economic sanctions based on its alliance with the U.S.

Regarding President Roh Moo-hyun not having vetoed the independent counsel bill for the special probe into the previous government’s involvement in Hyundai’s secret payment to Pyongyang, 35 lawmakers, or 50%, said that it was wrong, while 21, or 31.0%, said it was a right decision.

Sung-Won Park Seung-Heon Lee swpark@donga.com ddr@donga.com