Apology by U.S. Army postponed

The U.S. 8th Army commanding officer`s planned visit July 20 to the mayor of Seoul to apologize for the dumping of toxic waste into the river system has been put on hold. The delay was unavoidable, as a dispute has arisen concerning the scope of the apology.

"The U.S. Army and the Mayoral Office has held a meeting in the morning,¡± a spokesman for Mayor Lee Chul-Soo said. ¡°However, conflicting views on the scope of the apology led to the cancellation of the visit by the U.S.F.K."

According to the chief of Seoul`s Environmental Affairs Department Kim Seung-Kyu, through a five-hour marathon meeting with Michael Dunn of the U.S. 8th Army`s Junior Staff Office, they could not narrow the gap in their conflicting views for the scope of the apology. The proposed draft of the apology, which the U.S.F.K presented to the City of Seoul, was unclear on exactly what the U.S. Army was apologizing for.

The draft contained a great deal of the opinion and private thoughts of the U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Daniel Petroski, so the City of Seoul could not accept the proposed draft of the apology.

The Coalition of Environmentalists (Green Peace) today pressed charges at the Seoul Prosecutor`s Office against Thomas Schwartz, the U.S. Forces Korea Commander, Albert MacFarland, the man who had given the orders to release the toxic waste, and the responsible party at the U.S.F.K mortuary.