Uri Party Supports Troop Dispatch

After a long argument, the Uri Party has finally made its position clear to support the government’s plan to dispatch troops to Iraq.

In accordance with this decision, the government is planning to hold a standing committee of the National Security Council (NSC) on June 18 where it will finalize detailed plans such as stationing area, dispatch agenda, and the amount of troops to be sent.

The Uri Party held a general meeting of assembly members on June 17, and came to the decision that it would “respect the effect of the 16th National Assembly’s resolution, which agreed to dispatch additional troops,” and that it will not accept the request of reviewing the party’s opinion regarding troop dispatch.

“Opinions insisting on reviewing the troop dispatch can be observed as the opposite view, but will not be accepted,” said Rep. Ahn Young-keun, the head of the 1st policy planning committee in a briefing session. “Reviewing the Party’s opinion regarding troop dispatch will be executed once the government submits the motion of extending dispatch period at the end of the year.”

He added, “For the time being, supporting the troop dispatch is the view of the Uri Party. This issue will not be reviewed until the end of this year.”

During the general meeting for assembly members, the Uri Party asked the government to carry out the following; Give top priority to securing the safety of national military personnel; reconfirm the purpose of troop dispatch as peace rehabilitation; guarantee the timing of dispatch and troop flexibility based on local requests; concentrate on diplomatic efforts to change the nomenclature of troops to a United Nation Peacekeeping Force. Meanwhile, Reps. Lim Jong-in, Kim Won-woong, Choi Jae-chun, Lee Kwang-chul, Kang Chang-il and Ryu Seung-hee held fast to their viewpoints for reviewing additional troop dispatch and remained opposed to the plan.

In accordance with the NSC’s official announcement on additional troop dispatch today, the Ministry of National Defense is likely to set plans to dispatch an advance force in early August, and send one camp of the main force late August.

Hoon Lee Ho-Won Choi dreamland@donga.com bestiger@donga.com