BRITISH PRESS UNHAPPY ABOUT SOUTH KOREAN ATROCITIES

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 November 1950, Page 5

BRITISH PRESS UNHAPPY ABOUT SOUTH KOREAN ATROCITIES

Recriminations Arise From The Rule Of Syngman Rhee

LONDON, Nov. 7 (Rec. 6 pm).-—Two London newspapers—- “ Reynold’s News” and “Sunday Pictorial”—have followed Communist “Daily Worker” in publishing details of the article on atrocities by Syngma'n Rhee’s South Korean forces which both papers say Mr. Edward Hulton, proprietor of the weekly magazine “Picture Post” refused to publish.

An announcement last week by the Hulton Press said that the ‘Picture Post” editor, Mr. Tom Hopkinson, had been dismissed “following a dispute over the handling of material about the Konean war.” The newspaper, “The Observer,” while not giving details of the article, says Hopkinson wished to publish a report about atrocities. Hulton forbade it. Hopkinson included the report in the magazine make-up and Hulton thereupon replaced him. “Hulton apparently interfered only to avoid giving the Communists splendid propaganda,” says the “Observer.” “However, the atrocity report was promptly published in the ‘Daily Worker’ and the Communists are making the most of it while loudly calling attention at the same time to what they regard as atrocious conduct by the capitalist Press.” “Reynold’s News” quotes this extract from the article: “Political prisoners of the South Korean Government are roped and manacled. They are compelled to crouch in a classic Oriental attitude of subjection in pools of garbage. They clamber, the lowest common denominator of personal degradation, into trucks with the numb air of men going to their death. Many of them are.” The “Sunday Pictorial” says that the suppressed material, in addition

to a description of inhuman treatment of captives by South Koreans, included an appeal to the United Nations to stop such behaviour by the people they were rescuing from the results of aggression. The *newspaper recalled that stories of South Korean atrocities previously have been substantiated by “The Times” correspondent, who said he “was appalled” by the brutalities committed. The “Observer” says: “Syngman Rhee is unchecked in exercising what, from all reports, appears to be police terror of a most barbarous kind. Surely it is a matter of the utmost urgency for the United Nations to take control in Korea before irreparable harm is done to their reputation by a vindictive Oriental tyrant, whose present, constitutional credentials are as doubtful as his record of past misgovernment is glaring.” The “Yorkshire Post,” after saying that some people evidently considered it unwise to turn the full light of publicity on atrocities because it might not be loyal to a Power enjoying United Nations help, urges the United Nations to investigate the reports. ‘Tf atrocities are allowed to continue the cause of South Korea will be debased and the United Nations shield besmirched. J* it is proved that the South Koreans are unfit to stop atrocities, they must be put under the supervision of a Power whose hands are clean.”—Special N.Z.P.A. Correspondent.