ADVANCE ON SEOUL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27499, 20 September 1950, Page 7

ADVANCE ON SEOUL

Marine Spearheads Reported In City Suburbs REDS LEAVE SOUTHERN FRONT New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1 a.m. TOKIO, Sept. 18. The United Nations advance on Seoul, the Communistheld South Korean capital, is proceeding steadily, meeting only “ disorganised resistance.” Advance forces of two marine spearheads were reported to have smashed their way into the south-western suburbs of Seoul, and to have begun the search on the west bank of the Han River for a crossing point into the city proper. On the southern sector, withdrawals by North Korean forces along the Taegu front have been reported, and convoys have been observed moving north towards Seoul.

Along the Naktong front, troops of the United States Ist Corps have forced a second bridgehead on the west bank of the river, 10 miles west of Taegu. The earlier crossing was made 23 miles south of this point.

Large convoys of North Korean Army vehicles were spotted from the air during the night moving north towards Seoul, an American Army spokesman said today. At midnight 100 were seen heading north from Taejon towards Chonan, while another big convoy was travelling north from Kumchon to Yongdong early today. A third convoy moving west to Kochang was strafed by night Intruder planes.

United States 25th Division troops advanced two to four miles on the southern front today after wholesale North Korean withdrawals west of Masan, reports the Associated Press correspondent at Bth Army headquarters. The spokesman said the infantrymen jumped off this morning in a new attack and met practically no opposition. Elements of the southern flank advanced nearly two miles, and gains amounted to four miles on the northern flank. Even Communist troops who had stubbornly held high ground west of Haman appeared to have pulled out under cover of darkness. The spokesman added that the 7th North Korean Division had disappeared during the night.

Gains in Kimpo Area

American marines have captured high ground in the Kimpo area, and their spearheads are probing for a crossing of the Han River, a natural barrier to the city.

Major-general Edward M. Almond, General MacArthur’s Chief of Staff and commander of the 10th Corps, estimated yesterday that the forward spearheads were about five miles from the triple road and rail bridge across the Han River opposite the heart of Seoul.

General Almond said: “Our first objective was Kimpo. Now we are wheeling in to the Han River line. General Almond added that the American troops on the right flank driving up the main road from Inchon to Seoul had covered more than half the distance to the capital, but were meeting scattered resistance. It is disorganised resistance, but it means that the villages and ridges near the roads have to be cleaned out qne by one, he said. General MacArthur’s headquarters announced last night that the United Nations forces have taken about 2000 Communist prisoners in the amphibious operation at Inchon so far.

Airfield in Use

The communique added: “Fighter planes have begun to use Kimpo airfield which the marines captured on Sunday North Korean suicide attacks have been broken by marine infantry and tank fire." A Reuter correspondent says the Kimpo hangars were captured with two intact Russian-built Yak fighters undamaged and bombed up ready to go. At least 15 wrecked Yaks lay dispersed around the runways, destroyed by bombing and strafing. A British spokesman said that the British 27th Brigade was pulled out today from its position along the Naktong south-west of Taegu “with a view to having the brigade join the attack to the north-west.”