President Kim warns against resurgent anti-Americanism

President Kim warns against resurgent anti-Americanism

SEOUL (AP): President Kim Dae-jung warned on Tuesday against resurgent anti-Americanism among a small group of activists, reminding South Koreans that Washington remained the country's "biggest cooperator."

The warning came one day before the United States and South Korea were scheduled to resume sensitive talks on Wednesday on revising a defense agreement that critics say infringes upon Seoul's sovereignty.

Meanwhile, 50 activists engaged in shoving matches with police trying to prevent them from holding an anti-U.S. rally near the American embassy on Tuesday.

Waving pickets and shouting slogans, the protesters demanded that Washington revise the defense treaty - called Status of Forces Agreement - to allow South Korea bigger jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers in criminal cases.

"We must criticize wrong American policies but that should not lead to anti-Americanism," Kim was quoted as saying by his office during a Cabinet meeting. "Cooperative relations with the United States should remain strong. Anti-Americanism does not help our national interests."

Kim's warning was targeted at a small band of activists who have demanded Washington withdraw 37,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea as a deterrent against communist North Korea.

The activists have stepped up activities amid a rapidly spreading thaw between North and South Korea following their summit in June.

Despite the improving relations North Korea, Kim reconfirmed South Korea needed U.S. military presence for its security as well as regional stability.

"The United States remains our biggest cooperator not only in security and international relations but also in economic relations," Kim said.

Demands for revising the defense treaty gained currency after the U.S. military apologized last month for dumping 76 liters of formaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical, into the Han River, a main source of drinking water for Seoul's 12 million people.

Activists used public criticism of the U.S. military to demand its withdrawal from South Korea.

The defense agreement, signed in 1966 and revised in 1991, governs the treatment of U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea. Washington has similar agreements with dozens of countries where it keeps troops.

Many South Koreans view that some of the agreement's provisions are too lenient. But talks aimed revising the treaty have stalled since late 1996.

Under the agreement, U.S. soldiers involved in crimes remain under the custody of the U.S. military until they are convicted through the South Korean supreme court. South Korea wants custody upon indictment or the issuance of an arrest warrant.