NO MAJOR ACTION YET IN KOREA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26159, 8 July 1950, Page 7

NO MAJOR ACTION YET IN KOREA

I American Spokesman’s I Statement (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Hcc. 11 p.m.) TOKYO, July 7. A spokesman at General MacArthur’s headquarters a-day empnasised that the current battle reports on the root south of Suwon were largely exaggerated, as no najor American units had yet been committed. ihe North Koreans had an effective strength of 5 divisions of 5000 to 6000 men each. No major action had yet taken place. The objective was to hold the North Koreans as far north is possible, until American strength arrived. The largest American unit hitherto committed was nearly lalf a battalion. Saying that press reports were based on eye-witness stories ilaiming very few survivors, the spokesman said that casualties fere unlikely to exceed 10 per cent., with 85 per cent, of the nen already accounted for. Referring to the reported retreat of American units in the ector south of the Kum river, the suokesman admitted that American forces yesterday moved southward to near Chonan. "hat, however, was not because they had been driven by the nemy. but because of a battalion commander’s misinterpretaion of an order. The withdrawal was orderly.