S.Korea leader back, sets new agenda

SEOUL, South Korea - Reinstated by a historic court ruling, President Roh Moo Hyun embarked Friday on a new era of liberal politics in the face of challenges on the economy, North Korea and the country's troop deployment to Iraq.

Just hours after the Constitutional Court ruled in Roh's favor, protesters rallied against his plan to send 3,600 troops to Iraq.

Friday's ruling reversed an opposition-backed March 12 parliamentary impeachment vote and ended months of political paralysis in the world's 12th largest economy.

The ruling teams Roh with a new-look liberal Parliament dominated by his supporters - the first time in 16 years a president has a friendly legislature. Late Friday, Roh accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Goh Kun, who ran the country for 63 days during the impeachment trial.

It won't be easy for Roh to juggle his policy goals of rekindling a fragile economy, pursuing more equal footing with Washington and building closer ties with communist North Korea.

Roh pushed to send troops to Iraq despite the unpopularity of the deployment, portraying it as a way of winning U.S. support for a peaceful end to the North Korean nuclear crisis.

The deployment has been delayed twice amid escalating violence in Iraq. Opposition is rising within the pro-Roh Uri Party, and a smaller labor party plans to introduce legislation against the mission when the new Parliament convenes this month.

On Friday evening, a small group of protesters rallied near the U.S. Embassy demanding that Seoul reverse its decision to aid the American-led campaign. Hundreds of riot police prevented them from marching on the embassy.

Also under pressure is Roh's push for reconciliation with North Korea through economic, cultural and governmental exchanges. Rapprochement was a key campaign pledge, but has been overshadowed by concerns over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.

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