U.S. apology sought in Korean refugee killings

[David]

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- A victims' group on Monday called on the U.S. government to offer an apology to South Korea and punish those responsible for the alleged manipulation of an investigation into the U.S. Army's mass killing of South Korean refugees during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The group also urged the formation of a U.N. committee to look into the deaths, claiming it cannot trust the U.S. government, which it accused of distorting key facts in an inquiry into the killings at No Gun Ri in 1950.

"We strongly hope that France and Germany, which succeeded in coming to terms with past history, participate in the committee and an objective and transparent probe can proceed," the victims' committee said in a statement.

The demand came after a report from The Associated Press citing a letter that a shoot-to-kill policy against refugees was known to senior U.S. government officials.

In the letter dated the day of the mass killing, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea John J. Muccio informed Assistant Secretary of State Dean Rusk that American soldiers would shoot refugees approaching their lines because of fears of North Korean infiltration.

The letter is the strongest indication yet that such a policy existed for all U.S. forces in Korea, and the first evidence that that policy was known to upper ranks of the U.S. government.

The letter reported on decisions made at a high-level meeting in South Korea on July 25, 1950, the night before the 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment shot the refugees at No Gun Ri.

Estimates vary on the number of dead at No Gun Ri. American soldiers' estimates ranged from under 100 to "hundreds" dead; Korean survivors say about 400, mostly women and children, were killed at the village 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Seoul, the South Korean capital. Hundreds more refugees were killed in later, similar episodes, survivors say.

The Pentagon concluded that the No Gun Ri shootings were "an unfortunate tragedy" -- "not a deliberate killing." It suggested panicky soldiers, acting without orders, opened fire because they feared that an approaching line of families, baggage and farm animals concealed North Korean troops.

But Muccio's letter indicates the actions of the 7th Cavalry were consistent with policy, adopted because of concern that North Koreans would infiltrate via refugee columns. And in subsequent months, U.S. commanders repeatedly ordered refugees shot, documents show.

"This report by the AP after obtaining the document ... is a decisive report that overturns the key conclusion of the U.S. Defense Department's finding and ... the No Gun Ri incident is a massacre of innocent people and constitutes a clear war crime," the victims' committee said.

The group also urged the U.S. government to accept its responsibility for victims and compensate them, while asking the U.S. Congress to hold a hearing on the issue and pass a special law to resolve it. The group also said it would file a lawsuit against the U.S. Defense Department's research panel over its alleged manipulations and submit the issue at the U.N. Human Rights Committee.

[SuperScout]

The actual war crime was committed by the Chinese Communists and the North Koreans as they used civilians as shields when making river crossings. The NKP Army troos were dressed as civilians, another war crime, and were intermingled with the civilians.

[Robert Ryan]

Screw France, Screw the libearal victim's group. Yup lets find the GI's who are now in there late 60's early 70's and burn them. Death to all tyrnants I say. And if Superscout reports is true, then burn the North Koreans and leave our people the hell alone.

[Jerry D]

No reparations to the No Gun Ri incident , how you gonna know they weren't North Korean infiltrators ??

"Just my opinion"

[Stick]

If it happened, it's the wages of war and the North Korean troops terrorized and murdered many South Koreans and the truth be known, the North Koreans are still terrorizing the southern end of the peninsula with their threats of aggression and their actions along the demilitarized zone seperating the north from the south.
Reparations???? How many American dollar$$$ have been spent since the end of the Korean war on the recovery of that land from the ravishes of that war? How many buck$$$ are being spent today? How many MPC'$$$ are in the annual American federal budget funded by the American taxpayer for Korea. Reparations???? We've paid enough.

[the humper]

Originally posted by SuperScout The actual war crime was committed by the Chinese Communists and the North Koreans as they used civilians as shields when making river crossings. The NKP Army troops were dressed as civilians, another war crime, and were intermingled with the civilians.

Verbatim, to the above, and on/or about April 29th, '51 & the only way they were turned back was by firing light 30 cal. MG's into the river as they tried to cross, until they finally learned we were not going to let them cross. And lo and behold, about 30% of them had weapons which you could see under their WHITE clothing that the civilian's wore, (with the butts of their rifles over their shoulders). When back on the North shore, the civilians scattered away from them as fast as they could. Would have like to wipe out all of the (gunned CIVILIANS) but couldn't as would have caused the casualties among the REAL ones.