The Ministry of National Defense's January 18 announcement regarding the relocation of the United States Forces in Korea's Yongsan Base has produced complaints from not only the USFK, but also a number of ministries and government agencies, it was reported Thursday with some calling it "rough and ready administrative step." In its announcement, the ministry said it was assessing three alternate sites including Geoyeo-dong in southern Seoul to relocate the base according to a 1990 MOU between Seoul and Washington, but postponed indefinitely for cost reasons in 1993.

According to the MND, it decided to restart the plan because of civic groups call for the relocation of the base when the USFK proposed building an apartment complex in Yongsan last year.

However, analyst note that a National Security Council meeting chaired by President Kim Dae-jung on January 10 may have motivated the ministry to act unilaterally, as the chief executive ordered it to reconsider the relocation plan and help to improve poor facilities.

They cite the fact that Minister Kim Dong-shin reported a revised relocation plan outlining the three alternate sites to the president on January 16, without consulting related ministries or the National Security Council, causing anger amongst other cabinet and council members. In addition it only notified the USFK's 8th army commander Lieutenant-general Daniel R. Zanini and Major General James N. Soligan, immediately before the meeting, again without consultation.

Critics say that particular criticism concerned the ministry's haste with the plan without considering the financial consequences; the reason relocation was put on hold in 1993. A government official said related ministers complained that they did not understand why the MND handled the issue so quickly without checking on the financial terms and public sentiment.

The USFK announced officially that it would approve the plan if the government settles the issues of location and cost division, but complained about the sudden, unilateral announcement. It also raised the question of the lack of a news briefing and asked if this was to cope with possible negative public opinion.

Other analyst say that the ministry may also have been motivated to act quickly because of the imminent visit of US President George W. Bush's to Seoul in February and the Seoul mayoral election this coming June.

Seoul National University Professor Baek Jin-hyeon said the government appeared to be handling the relocation issue inexpertly with domestic opinion and election at the forefront of its mind, pointing out that it should deal with it considering maintaining peace and development on the peninsular and US global policy.

(Park Du-shik, dspark@chosun.com )