S. Korea approves U.S. use of money for relocation

[unhappycamper]

S. Korea approves U.S. use of money for relocation
By Teri Weaver and Hwang Hae-rym, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, March 5, 2009

South Korea’s National Assembly passed a law Monday giving explicit approval for the U.S. government to use South Korean money for a long-term plan to centralize American troops south of Seoul.

The legislation came a week after more than 100 South Korean lawyers and activists filed a lawsuit claiming U.S. Forces Korea diverted South Korean payments intended for current military needs toward relocation construction and other costs.

The lawsuit, filed in Seoul Central District Court on Feb. 23, also claims USFK earned interest on the diverted money.

If true, that interest would amount to income on which USFK should be taxed, according to Jang Kyung-wook, a member of Lawyers for a Democratic Society and one of the 131 plaintiffs in the suit.

On Tuesday, a spokesman from USFK said the military command had no comment on the lawsuit. Nor did the U.S. Embassy respond to questions Stars and Stripes submitted last week.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=61116