The two leading presidential candidates, Lee Hoi-chang and Roh Moo-hyun both expressed their intention, Monday, to seek a revision of the Status of Forces Agreement with the US. The Grand National Party's Lee is expected to attend the inauguration of signature-collecting petition urging this on Tuesday at the party's headquarters in Youido.

The GNP Special Committee for SOFA Revision head Lee Boo-young said the committee will mount a petition campaign among party members first and then the people, if it is not against the Election Law.

Calling for the revision of clauses in the SOFA, the Millennium Democratic Party's Roh also pledged to attempt to revise the agreement and sent MDP members to US Ambassador Hubbard to urge a revision. MDP Policy Committee Head Lim Chae-jong said the US government as well as the South Korean government should be aggressive in adopting SOFA revision. (Shin Jeong-rok, jrshin@chosun.com )