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Members of the U.S. House Committee on International Relations on Thursday protested at calls in Korea to topple a statue of U.S. general Douglas MacArthur in Incheon. Their protest came in a letter to President Roh Moo-hyun signed by committee chairman Henry Hyde and others.
The letter said but for the 1950 Incheon landing led by MacArthur, the Korea of today would not exist. If attempts to damage the statue continued, it would be better to hand it over to the Americans, the signatories said.
The letter reminded the president of his own remarks that toppling the statue would displease the U.S. government and people, and said Congress had taken note of Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan's warning of firm action against anyone who damages the monument. It urged the South Korean government to do everything necessary to protect the statue from harm.
The lawmakers said this September marked the 55th anniversary of the Incheon Landing, a turning point in the Korean War, and expressed hope Koreans would recall that they enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity after Seoul and Washington joined to beat back the ˇ°communist invasionˇ± 50 years ago.
The lawmakers added the two allies must remember those who took part in the Incheon victory under MacArthur's command, in particular the Americans who died in the operation.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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