Korean Vietnam Veterans Petition Washington

JU YONG-JOONG / Chosun Ilbo (N Korea) 22jul03

WASHINGTON - Thirty-two Korean veterans of the Vietnam War who suffer symptoms of poisoning from exposure to defoliants staged a silent protest at Pershing Park near the White House on Monday, demanding compensation.

The members of the Korean Defoliant Victims Association wrote in a petition to President George W. Bush that among the 320,000 Koreans who did tours in the Vietnam War, some 65,000 were suffering complications of exposure to defoliant, and that more than 300 suffer from dioxin poisoning every year. They claimed that American soldiers are going through similar hardships and also deserve to be compensated.

The protesters said that former Secretary of Defense William Cohen had mentioned possible compensation for the defoliant victims during his visit to Vietnam in March 2000, along with the issue of missing U.S. soldiers. They appealed for compensation to show regard for those who fought as U.S. allies to safeguard liberty.

The group will stage silent protests at the same location until Friday.

Ju Yong-joong ( midway@chosun.com )

source: http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200307/200307220018.html 22jul03