Sejong City feud could delay troop dispatch to Afghanistan

Afghan dispatch-delay


By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- The planned dispatch of South Korean reconstruction
workers and troops to Afghanistan will likely be delayed by at least a few months
due to a political struggle over the government's revision of a plan for a new
city under construction in the center of the country, an official said Wednesday.
Seoul earlier sought to push through a bill on the dispatch of some 350 troops to
Afghanistan to protect its civilian workers in the war-torn nation during a
parliamentary session scheduled for February.
The country currently hopes to start sending its troops in July.
"The government will submit the bill in February as planned, but its push for
legislation of the bill might be postponed until the regular Assembly session in
June," the government official said, asking not to be identified.
The grim assessment comes as the government is expected to submit another bill on
the controversial revision to the Sejong City plan, which originally aimed at
setting up a new administrative town housing up to nine government ministries and
various other state agencies.
The government on Monday announced its revised plans for Sejong, which call for
the city to become an economic and education hub rather than an administrative
town.
Prime Minister Chung Un-chan said earlier in the day that the government will
soon issue a notice of legislation on the revised plans "to settle the issue as
early as possible," a move that threatens chaos for the parliament's February
session.
Political rifts between the ruling and opposition parties often paralyze the
Assembly, which saw its latest conflict late last year when the rival parties
failed to enact even a single piece of legislation during its 100-day regular
session.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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