Iraq troops would help economy, aide says

Kim Jin-pyo, deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy, said yesterday that sending troops to Iraq would help revitalize the Korean economy.
He was answering a question from an opposition National Assembly member about the economic consequences of postponing a decision on sending troops.
Asked whether he had presented that opinion to President Roh Moo-hyun, Mr. Kim said, “I did so several times.”
The administration has not yet commented officially on the issue, and Yoo Ihn-tae, the Blue House senior secretary for political affairs, recently said he opposes sending troops to Iraq.
Mr. Kim’s remark yesterday, although he offered no elaboration, is seen by some observers as a catalyst for bringing Blue House dissension over the issue into the open.