NEW YORK South Korean and U.S. organizations are arranging to hold hearings and briefings next month on the alleged massacre of Korean civilians by U.S. soldiers during the 1950-53 Korean War ahead of a mock war crime tribunal set for June.

A South Korean civilian organization calling itself "the special investigation committee on the U.S. massacre" plans to hold a hearing on March 24 at the U.N. Church Center together with the International Action Center and Veterans for Peace.

American servicemen are accused of gunning down South Korean civilians at Nogun-ri, a small, southern farming village, at the beginning of the Korean War.

Last month, Seoul and Washington announced the results of their joint investigation into the incident, acknowledging that the incident did indeed occur. While President Clinton expressed deep regrets for the incident on behalf of his nation, the United States denied that the orders to shoot came from high-ranking officers.

In addition, many citizens’ groups estimate the number of deaths that occurred at Nogun-ri to be significantly higher than the figure reported by the joint investigation, and they claim that scores of other, similar massacres occurred throughout the war years. The groups are demanding due compensation from the United States on behalf of the victims and their families.

The Korea Society, headed by former U.S. ambassador to Seoul Donald Gregg, will hold a briefing on March 8 with Michael Ackerman, U.S. Army Inspector- General in charge of the Nogun-ri investigation.

Ramsey Clark, former secretary of justice, will be present to speak on the international legal approach to the Nogun-ri incident.

Survivors of Nogun-ri will also be present to give testimonies.

The hearings and briefings are intended to be preludes to the mock trial South Korean organizations are planning to hold in New York on June 23.

The court will be comprised of representatives from the 16 nations that participated in the Korean War as well as representatives from third-party nations. The defendant will be the presidential administration of Harry Truman. (Yonhap)
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