U.S., South Korea agree in
principle on SOFA revision
By
Jim Lea and Jeremy Kirk
Stars and Stripes
SEOUL — Negotiators have agreed in principle to revise the South Korean-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, an official with the South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said Wednesday.
The revised pact will be simliar to agreements the United States has with other countries, particularly Japan and Germany, said Song Min-soon, director-general of the ministry’s North American Affairs Bureau. Song is heading Seoul’s delegation to the two-day talks, which began Wednesday.
The ministry gave only scant details of Wednesday’s meeting, and a U.S. Embassy official would not comment on changes that were being negotiated Thursday.
A main topic of discussion is the treatment of American servicemembers accused of breaking Korean law. Under the current SOFA, soldiers accused of crimes are placed in the custody of U.S. military authorities through the trial and appeals process.
South Korean officials want that clause changed to allow them to take custody of suspects immediately upon indictment — as is the case in Japan. Korean prosecutors claim the present agreement makes it difficult to adequately investigate criminal cases involving Americans.
U.S. negotiators have asked that if the clause is changed, Korean authorities take appropriate measures to ensure the rights of U.S. suspects, Song said.
Song added that U.S. negotiators have shown a willingness to discuss all SOFA issues, including environmental protection measures and the rights of Korean employees of the U.S. military.
But negotiators probably will not reach any final decisions during the current talks because of the wide range of issues being discussed, Song said.
The South Korean-U.S. SOFA has been under review since 1995. The current talks are the first held in four years.
South Korean officials, including President Kim Dae-jung, have called the current SOFA discriminatory toward Koreans and biased in favor of the United States.
Bae Gi-chul contributed to this report.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
