S. Korea names army commander to head unit supporting U.S. base relocation

SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean army corps deputy commander was appointed Monday to head a key unit supporting the relocation of U.S. forces here, a spokesman said, following a scandal that forced his predecessor to resign.

About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against
North Korea -- a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War. As part of its global
realignment plan, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is working to move most of its
frontline bases to south of Seoul.
Since 2006, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has operated a unit
known as MURO to support the move. The ministry said Monday it has named Lt. Gen.
Kim Young-hoo of the Third Republic of Korea Army to lead the unit.
"Kim is a specialist in supplies and possesses linguistic capabilities that will
help him cooperate with the U.S. side," spokesman Won Tae-jae said, adding the
appointment marks the second time a lieutenant general has been named to the
post.
The appointment of Kim, 58, came after a key advisor to the MURO unit resigned
last week over a lobbying scandal.
The top post of MURO, short for MND USFK Relocation Office, has been vacant since
November when Maj. Gen. Park Byung-hee retired to take office as an advisor. Park
is alleged to have been involved in lobbying by a construction company before he
took office as chief of the unit, which oversees an approximately 10-trillion-won
(US$7.4 billion) budget related to the relocation.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)