Korea and U.S.Negotiate Revisions to SOFA Agreement

The Korean government and the U.S. are looking into making revisions to the Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA, a set of international agreements outlining the legal position of the 37.000 U.S. troops stationed here on the peninsula. The changes, if put into practice, would make the SOFA agreement in force in Korea similar to those used in Japan and Germany

"Considering that the last such negotiations took place 4 years ago in 1996, we mainly focused on reiterating our positions with reference to the SOFA as applied to U.S. forces here in Korea," said Song Min-soon, director general of the North American Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Song added that they also agreed to address issues that would make the agreement more palatable to Koreans as well. "U.S. negotiators expressed a willingness to discuss a broad range of issues which included not only quickening the handover of U.S. military implicated in criminal acts but also the improving of work conditions for Korean workers employed by the U.S. military as well as curbing any further environmental damage."

Song commented, however, that arriving at a mutual understanding may not be easy with there being a wide difference in the conditions wanted by each party.

The two sides were reported to have spent several hours discussing the legalities of the U.S. servicemen indicted on criminal charges and the handing-over of these men to Korean authorities. Also, the inclusion of a new clause on the environment into the SOFA, the securing of labor rights for Korean employees working on U.S. bases as well as the allowing of the Korean government to participate in the inspection process of the U.S. military's food imports.

In regards to the contentious issue of speeding-up the handover of the U.S. servicemen implicated in criminal activity, the U.S. government, though generally in agreement with the proposal, is reported to have made clear that certain legal measures be guaranteed to secure the legal rights of these men.

Even with the late-night discussions on Wednesday, the two parties are to meet again to continue on with the discussion of issues such as the environment, labor rights, and import controls on August 3.

by Lee Chul-hee