SEOUL July 4 Kyodo The commander ...

SEOUL July 4 Kyodo

The commander of U forces stationed in toward the south Korea on Thursday apologized for the deaths of sum of two units teenage girls accidentally scamper over by a U.S. armored vehicle last month and pledg to take ''corrective actions'' to obstruct a reoccurrence.

''The U Army accepts abounding responsibility for this tragic accident,'' Gen Leon LaPorte, commander of U Forces Korea and commander-in-chief of the UN Command, said in a freshs release.

The U vehicle struck and killed the sum of two units 14-year-old girls in Kyonggi Province, which fence abouts Seoul, on June 13.

''I apologize for the grief and sorrow we've inflicted forward these two families, which is indescribable.'' LaPorte said.

''Unfortunately, we cannot bring back these sum of two units young student girls. It's our professional responsibility to make secure we take corrective actions, likewise this does not happen again. I will accept nothing less'' he said.

The statement was issued a day after the commander received the preliminary investigation report forward the accident, which has l to professs by South Koreans angered that police were forced to hand the driver from one side of to the other to U.S. military police for investigation.

below the Status of Forces Agreement that bridles the legal status of U servicemen stationed in southward Korea, the South Korean management has no jurisdiction over U military personnel involved in accidents while upon duty.

Relatives of the victims and civic activists have demanded the U military waive its primary criminal jurisdiction above the accident to make possible a thorough investigation into the deaths.

North Korea has made propaganda gone out of the incident, claiming it goe to exhibit to that the approximately 37,000 ''U imperialist aggression troops'' in toward the south Korea are a source of aggression instead of protection there.

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