SOFA Revision Talks Expected

Lee Joung-binn, minister of foreign affairs and trade, arrived back in Korea from the United States on March 16. He said, "In my meetings with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, we agreed to resume negotiations on the revision of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as soon as possible."
Mr. Lee added, "The United States will announce plans to resume talks on the SOFA revision."
The United States and Korea put the SOFA into effect in 1967, and it was revised first in 1991. Between November 1995 and September 1996 seven meetings were held for further revisions, but negotiations broke down over the issue of when to surrender criminally suspect U.S. soldiers. Since then the talks have been interrupted over three years.
Minister Lee said, "North Korea's past terrorist acts are an issue between North and South Korea. All aspects, including an apology, will be dealt with along bilateral lines. As the victims and their families are still alive, the public demands an apology from North Korea."