Environmental issue and SOFA talks

U.S. Ambassador to Korea Steven Bosworth said Sunday that the U.S. will discuss with the South Korean government the question of inserting a provision on environmental protection into the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) during the SOFA revision negotiations slated for Aug. 2.

Amb. Bosworth made the remarks in a special interview with KBS-1 TV, and also expressed regrets over the USFK`s release of toxic chemicals into the Han River.

He said such an incident should never occur again.

The ambassadors` remarks indicate a change in the U.S. side`s basic position, as it originally intended to discuss only those articles in the SOFA dealing with criminal jurisdiction, including the question of when a suspected U.S. military criminal should be handed over to the Korean authorities.

The government is poised to comprehensively address the criminal jurisdiction, environment, labor and quarantine issues in the upcoming negotiations.

The two sides have been at odds over the agenda for the negotiations, as the U.S. draft for the talks, delivered to the South Korean government May 31, refers only to the criminal jurisdiction matter.

Bosworth also said in the interview that the investigation into the alleged Nogun-ri massacre was proceeding satisfactorily.

He said he expected the outcome of the probe to be made public within the next couple of weeks.