BIG SCALE FIGHTING

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26198, 23 August 1950, Page 7

BIG SCALE FIGHTING

Front Held In Korea

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) TOKYO, August 22. Heavy fighting blazed along almost the whole Korean battlefront to-day with at least nine Communist divisions, possibly 80,000 men, in contact with the tightly-drawn defence perimeter. Pressure was heaviest last night and to-day in the south where superior Communist forces attacked for the second day at Tundok, five miles south-west of Haman. In a see saw battle, positions on an important hill ridge changed hande several times and the United States 24th Division forces are now counterattacking to eliminate penetration. The Communists are estimated to have thrown one regiment into this action. * Another northern regiment attacked to-day near five miles north of Tundok, forcing “a partial withdrawal” by the Americans. A counter-attack won back the ground and the heavy fighting ended in midmorning. There were skirmishes with the Communists at other isolated points in the south. A fierce battle raged for one hour just after midnight when a Northern battalion, led by nine tanks, advanced

on American and South Korean posi-, tions south of Kunwi. The Communists. who swept in after, one of the fiercest artillery duels of zthe war. were thrown back with the loss of three tanks. This sector is now stable. Other South Koreahs battled through rough mountainous country north-east of Waegwan and won a little ground. The Hyonpung bridgehead, 12 miles south-east of Taegu, was quiet, but the Northerners are believed to be still sending in reinforcements. South Korean sources claim that the commander of the Communist 4th Division, General Pak Sung Suk, was killed during the battle for the Naktong river bulge.