S.Korea, US Begin SOFA Revision TalksSouth Korea and the United States Wednesday began a two-day meeting in Seoul to discuss revision of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) seen as a slant to favor the US side.The meeting, the first in nearly four years, is expected to address the criminal jurisdiction over accused American soldiers, environmental contamination by United States Forces Korea (USFK), labor rights of South Korean employees at USFK bases and inspection of agricultural products brought in by US troops. The meeting began amid strong anti-US sentiments in South Korea after it was discovered that the USFK had been discharging poisonous chemicals formaldehyde into the Han River at its headquarters in downtown Seoul recently and the US bombing practice in Maehyang-ri along the west coast had caused great damage and wounds to local residents. The meeting was held between Song Min-soon, director general of the North American Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Frederick Smith, deputy assistant secretary of defense for international affairs. The US side has suggested possible revision of the clauses on criminal jurisdiction in the counterproposal presented to South Korea on May 31 this year. It has also expressed its willingness to deal with environmental, labor rights and other issues in the face of strong criticism of the Maehyang-ri situation and the illegal dumping of toxic chemicals. In an arrival statement Monday, the chief US negotiator, Smith said he expected that productive and sincere talks could be made on the SOFA revisions. |
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