DATE=10/13/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=KOREA MASSACRE INVESTIGATION (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-254967
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S Assistant Secretary of State Stanley Roth,
who is in South Korea for four-days of talks with
government officials, says the two countries will most
likely conduct separate but coordinated investigations
into the alleged massacre of South Korean civilians by
U-S troops during the Korean War. V-O-A's Alisha Ryu
has details of Wednesday's meeting in the South Korean
capital of Seoul.
TEXT: In private discussions with South Korean
Foreign Minister Hong Soon-young and Defense Minister
Cho Seong-tae, Secretary Roth says he repeated the
pledge made by the United States to thoroughly
investigate the alleged shootings of some 300 civilian
refugees nearly 50 year ago. He said both
governments agree they have a duty to conduct the
investigations in an impartial, transparent way.
But Mr. Roth laid out a U-S plan that stopped short of
launching a joint investigation as had been speculated
in recent press reports here in Korea. He says the
United States will announce shortly the formation of a
high-level group that will conduct its own
investigation in Korea alongside a task force already
established in Seoul. The two teams are to meet
periodically to exchange information and maintain
close cooperation. The United States is prosing that
these groups also have the power to conduct joint
interviews or joint document searches if they are
needed.
Secretary Roth's visit follows on the heels of a
letter sent by U-S Defense Secretary William Cohen to
South Korean President Kim Dae-jung. In the letter,
Mr. Cohen says South Koreans should have complete
confidence that the investigation will uncover the
truth.
The alleged massacre gained international attention
last month when the Associated Press reported that
more than a dozen U-S Korean War veterans admitted
having witnessed or taken part in the shooting of
refugees under a bridge in the southeastern village of
Nogun-ri in July, 1950. (Signed)
NEB/AR/JP
13-Oct-1999 10:17 AM EDT (13-Oct-1999 1417 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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