NORTH KOREANS CLAIM TO HAVE ENTERED SEOUL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26151, 29 June 1950, Page 5

NORTH KOREANS CLAIM TO HAVE ENTERED SEOUL

U.S. Forces Ordered To Aid Southern Army (N.Z. Pres? Association —Copyright) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 28. Less than 24 hours after President Truman’s orders to the American Forces to support and cover the resistance of the South Korean troops came a claim by the Pyongyang radio that Communist North Korean forces entered the Southern capital, Seoul, at 3 a.m., G.M.T. to-day. The North Korean broadcast, heard in Tokyo, said that the South Korean Government offices had been taken over and political prisoners released.

The Seoul radio went off the air at 6 a.m. local time today. and telephone communication broke down about the same time. This revived fears in Tokyo that the North Korean forces might have entered Seoul or that fighting had broken out in the city.

The last bulletin broadcast by the Seoul radio was a statement from the President (Dr. Syngman Rhee), in which he said General MacArthur had promised speedy air and naval assistance. Dr Rhee appealed to South Koreans for a final effort to hurl back the invaders.

Throughout the night the Seoul radio had appealed to the defenders battling with an armoured spearhead 10 miles northeast of the capital to hang on until American aid arrived today. The South Koreans say that their most pressing need is for air action against the Russian-built 33-ton tanks, which roared down through the Pochon-Uijongbu corridor, reaching the outskirts of the capital yesterday before being hurled back. The second priority is to deal with the 155 mm. medium artillery with which the North Koreans are outgunning the Southern forces.

Americans evacuated from Korea to Japan said that the morale of the South Koreans remained excellent.

A United States military spokesman said late last night that the United States military forces would make no attempt to invade North Korea, but would confine their operations to South Korea. American action would be limited to driving the Communists out of South Korea and North Korean points would not be bombed.