By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has asked the National Assembly to pass a bill enabling Korea to quickly dispatch troops for U.N. peacekeeping operations (PKO), according to a ministry official Wednesday.
``Article 60 of the Constitution stipulates the National Assembly must approve the nation's sending troops overseas. But we don't have a relevant law for the constitutional article,'' the official said on condition of anonymity.
He further said that the absence of a law governing PKOs prevents Korea from actively and rapidly responding to calls from the United Nations to participate in them.
Currently, three bills on PKOs are pending in the Assembly but none of them is likely to be passed soon given that lawmakers are now focused on elections slated for April 9.
One of the bills, proposed by Rep. Kim Moo-sung of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) and sponsored by 40 other lawmakers, makes it possible for Korea to send troops on PKOs without prior approval by the Assembly. The bill calls for a preliminary parliamentary approval for a 350-strong PKO deployment.
The ministry officials said the bill, if passed, will greatly shorten the process in sending troops on PKOs to a few months.
The ministry's effort to have the Assembly pass the bill is closely related to the nation's plan to increase its participation in U.N. operations.
Seoul is the 10th largest donor to U.N. PKOs but its troop contribution remains 36th with 400 troops taking part in PKOs in eight countries, including the 350-strong Dongmyeong Unit in Lebanon.
``Given Korea's status in the world, Korea's troop contribution to PKOs needs to be the 10th largest the official said. ``We have a long way to go in reaching a bigger role in the operations.''
A country in 10th place in the number of PKO troops sends about 2,000 servicemen on operations.
Foreign Minister Song Min-soon recently pledged to expand the country's contribution to U.N. activities such as peacekeeping operations, and to increase the provision of aid to poor nations.
He made the promise in his meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of a two-day meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations in Madrid, Spain, last week.
Song reaffirmed Seoul's determination to play a role in the world that matches its power as the world's 12th largest economy, by expanding participation in PKOs and increasing official development assistance.