U.S. softens stand on Korean killings

Press, 25 August 1976, Page 8

U.S. softens stand on Korean killings

NZPA-Reuter Seoul | The United States con-j suited South Korea before; softening its rejection of North Korean regrets overj the killing of two United States Army officers in the) demilitarised zone, a South; Korean Government spokes-1 man said yesterday. The United States has dras-( jticallv shifted from its earlier' position that North Korean President Kim II Sung’s message of regret was unacceptable because it did not constitute an apology or accept (responsibility for the deaths. The State Department said | it now viewed the North Korean regrets as a positive step I — and South Korea’s Culture and Information Minister (Mr Kim Sung-jin) told NZPAReuter yesterday there had been consultation between Seoul and Washington on the new State Department announcement.

I Bilt the American-led |United Nations Command in Seoul refused to comment on (State Department spokesman (Robert Funseth’s announcement that a meeting of the j Military Armistice Commission at Panmunjom had been set for today (New Zealand time). I According to the Washington announcement the commission would insist on North Korean assurances “re. specting the safety in the demilitarised zone of our personnel.” A United States military spokesman said there had been no change in the increased alert order issued to the 41,000 American troops here following last Wednesday’s border clash. The United Nations Command said the two Americans died when a tree-

(pruning work party they (were escorting into the de[militarised zone near the truce village was attacked by club-wielding North Korean guards. The North Koreans said the United Nations party provoked the incident. No new disturbances have been reported along the 240 km demilitarised zone dividing the two Koreas, the United States spokesman said.

In a show of force after the incident, the United States reinforced its troops in Korea with two squadrons of planes and six warships, including the aircraft carrier Midway. The naval task force is believed to be already off the Korean coast. The Americans are refusing to give the precise location of the ships but has denied Pyongyang charges that they had violated North Korea’s territorial waters.