Chances to Revise SOFA Are Bleak

Talks aimed at revising the Status of Forces Agreement stalled Thursday as the two sides failed to hold what was scheduled to be the last meeting, foreign ministry officials said.

Negotiators from South Korea and the United States were initially set to close their weeklong talks, but only top negotiators held unofficial talks to iron out differences.

"Both sides tried their best and things that can be solved at this level have been solved," a senior ministry official said. While the talks were officially extended until Friday, no meeting was scheduled.

The outcome of the talks and both sides' plans will be made public Friday. Prospects of a breakthrough before President Bill Clinton's term ends next month － a stated goal － looked dim.

Although both sides have made some progress, ministry officials said the two sides still differ greatly on criminal jurisdiction and South Korea's proposal to include environmental issues in the main text of the agreement, which governs the 37,000 U.S. troops in South Korea.

In previous talks, the United States agreed to allow Korea to take custody of servicemen accused of crimes when they are indicted. Under the current agreement, U.S. soldiers accused of committing crimes on Korean territory remain in the custody of their own military authorities until they are convicted by Korean courts.

The United States is said to have demanded that the Seoul government ensure the legal right of accused U.S. soldiers to question witnesses or their accusers face-to-face, which would require a change in Korea's legal system. On the environmental issue, while Seoul proposed their inclusion, Washington called for a separate agreement that has no legal binding.

Out of 85 countries that have Status of Forces Agreements with the United States, only Germany has an environmental clause. The environment became an issue after the U.S. military recently was found to have dumped toxic chemicals into the Han River through a sewage system.

Talks on revising the agreement began in 1995. Since it was established in 1966, the accord was revised only once, in 1991.

by Lee Chul-hee