Anti-U.S. sentiment becomes issue in S. Korean election

SEOUL, South Korea -- Anti-U.S. sentiment emerged as a key issue ahead of South Korea's presidential election Thursday, with the front-runner losing the support of an important backer purportedly over a remark about the possibility of war between the United States and North Korea.

Washington is South Korea's main ally, but many South Koreans believe President Bush is an obstacle to reconciliation with their communist neighbor. However, some said the breakup of the political coalition was due to internal squabbling.

Five hours after the polls opened Thursday, 24.6 percent of 34.9 million eligible voters had cast their ballots, according to election officials. The voter turnout in the 1997 election was 80.7 percent.

Candidate Roh Moo-hyun favors the South Korean government's "sunshine" policy of engaging the North and wants his country to be less dependent on Washington, which keeps 37,000 soldiers here.

But a comment he made on the campaign trail Wednesday triggered an angry reaction from Chung Mong-joon, his coalition partner and the popular architect of South Korea's successful co-hosting of the soccer World Cup this year.

"If the United States and North Korea start a war, we could get embroiled," Kim quoted Roh as saying.

Kim said Chung, a former presidential candidate who dropped out of the race to support Roh, believes there is no reason for the United States to start a war with North Korea.

However, local media speculated the soccer chief might be using the opportunity to withdraw his support after Roh named two potential candidates within his party to compete with Chung for the presidency in 2007. Chung had been counting on Roh's backing. Others speculated the split was due to Roh's remark Wednesday that Chung supporters were "speeding" by shouting that Chung should be president in 2007.

North Korea has often accused the United States of plotting an invasion, but Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday echoed earlier comments by Bush that Washington has no plans to invade the North.

Roh, a former human rights lawyer who often defended labor causes, and Chung, a son of the founder of the Hyundai conglomerate, often seemed political opposites. They united to try to defeat opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang, a conservative.North Korea has often accused the United States of plotting an invasion, but Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday echoed earlier comments by Bush that Washington has no plans to invade the North.

Local media speculated the split was also due to Roh's remark Wednesday that Chung supporters were "speeding" by shouting that Chung should be president in 2007.

Roh, a former human rights lawyer who often defended labor causes, and Chung, a son of the founder of the Hyundai conglomerate, often seemed political opposites. They united to try to defeat opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang, a conservative.

After Chung's announcement, Roh attempted to visit him at his house, but was turned away. Lee welcomed the breakup, and aides quoted him as saying: "Their alliance could never work from the beginning."

The election campaign comes amid fears of North Korean nuclear ambitions, with Roh espousing a conciliatory approach and Lee advocating a tougher line.

Security concerns vaulted to the forefront last week when North Korea declared it would revive a frozen nuclear plant previously suspected of being used to make weapons.

Anti-U.S. sentiment became a campaign issue following protests that erupted in the wake of the acquittals in U.S. military courts of two GIs whose armored vehicle hit and killed two South Korean girls last June.

The soldiers were cleared of charges of negligent homicide in courts martial, but protesters said they should have been tried in a South Korean court and demanded more South Korean jurisdiction in legal cases involving GIs. U.S. military officials apologized repeatedly for the deaths.

Roh was slightly ahead of Lee in surveys on the day before voting, and it was not immediately clear to what extent Chung's announcement would affect the outcome. By law, President Kim Dae-jung cannot run again.

Commentators believe Roh's candidacy could benefit from anti-U.S. sentiment, which is more common among young people. Lee is viewed as more closely aligned with the Bush administration, which has said North Korea must first abandon nuclear activity before any talks.

Roh and Lee share roughly similar positions on the economy, but disagree on another domestic issue -- Roh's proposal to move some government offices out of Seoul. Lee opposes the plan.

Older voters might view Lee as a stern leader who would not give in to North Korean threats, but young voters might see him as an uncompromising hawk who could raise tension on the peninsula. North Korea's state-run media regularly vilify Lee.

A former Supreme Court judge, Lee is a fierce critic of Kim Dae-jung's policy of engaging North Korea. The approach helped win a Nobel Peace Prize for Kim, but conservatives point to North Korea's clandestine nuclear development as a sign the totalitarian state duped its neighbor.

Hopes for reconciliation between the Koreas suffered a huge setback in October, when U.S. officials reported North Korea told them that it had a uranium-based nuclear weapons program.

Then the North said it would revive nuclear facilities from an older program that it froze in a 1994 deal with the United States. North Korea said it needed to generate electricity because the United States had reneged on commitments to provide power, but Washington said the communist government was violating several nuclear arms control agreements.