Bush Apologized for ‘the Deaths of Middle School Girls’

The US President George W. Bush mentioned about the deaths of middle school girls by the US Army armored vehicle through the US Ambassador Thomas Herverd, “I apologize to the bereaved family of two girls, Korean people, and the Government,” and “please give my sorrow and regret for this tragic accident.”

The Ambassador Herverd said on the 27th that the President Bush added, “I stress that through the close cooperation between Korea and America, I will make sure that no similar accident will happen.”

The Ambassador Herverd had a joint press conference with the Commander of the US Army in Korea, Lian Laport, at the US Embassy Information Service in Namyoung-Dong, Seoul and said, “The President Bush called me this morning asking me to deliver this message,” and stressed “Although the American soldiers were given a verdict of not guilty at the military trial, our (American) responsibility is not over.”

He then continued saying, “Although Koreans do not agree on the final verdict, but I think it was a fair judgment,” and added, “America is not trying to conclude this matter with a hasty method.”

In the meantime, the Commander Laport said about the revision of the SOFA, “If Korea and America both have a need for revision, I think it needs to be revised.”

Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com