Prompt apology

Handcuffing case should be good lesson for allies

The handcuffing of three Korean civilians by U.S. military policemen last week was an illegal act in violation of SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) regulations that prohibit such action.

A prompt apology offered by the commander of U.S. Forces Korea is seen as an admission by the American military authorities that the seven U.S. military personnel overreacted during a brawl with the Koreans over parking outside Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday.

According to Pyeongtaek police, the incident began when a team of seven U.S. military policemen told a resident to move his car, parked within 500 meters of the base. Local police officers were called to the scene at the time. A 35-year-old man, identified by his family name Yang, replied that he would move the vehicle after he finished eating some chicken. But the U.S. soldiers insisted and there was a scuffle during which Yang and two other Koreans were handcuffed. The U.S. military policemen even tried to haul them into the nearby base.

Arguments from both sides are poles apart. The U.S. soldiers claim their actions amounted to legitimate self-defense countering violence from the Korean civilians. But it would be a violation of SOFA rules if they refused to transfer the civilians to Korean policemen for a while after they arrived at the scene. The Korean and U.S. authorities need to conduct a thorough investigation into the case and punish those found to be responsible for the case.

What is clear now is that it was wrong for the U.S. military policemen to handcuff Korean civilians, given that they have no authority to do so. Under SOFA rules, U.S. military police can exercise their authority off base only when they cooperate with Korean police.

Despite the regretful nature of the incident, we are positive about the sincere attitude of America’s forces after the incident. On Sunday, Gen. James Thurman, the USFK commander, apologized for the illegal detention of the three Koreans and Lt. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas, the commander of the 7th Air Force, also offered his apology at a press conference in Pyeongtaek.

The American military’s swift apology this time deserves credit as an effort not to repeat a blunder of 10 years ago, when anti-American sentiment surged after two Korean middle school girls were accidentally run over and killed by an American armored personnel carrier. At the time, the U.S. was reluctant to apologize for the tragic deaths, causing nationwide candlelit vigils that escalated into mass protests against the presence of U.S. troops here.

Taking into account ambiguity in SOFA rules with regard to off-base patrols by U.S. officials, we welcome the agreement Monday between the allies to discuss measures to improve the way American troops conduct street patrols in Korea. The handcuffing case should serve as a positive catalyst for the two countries to map out fundamental measures aimed at preventing any similar incidents. <The Korea Times>

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