TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUILDING: ARMED GUARD: CAPITAL BUILDING: POLICE ON GUARD: SIGN: GUARD AT CHECKPOINT: DOCUMENT CHECK ON BUS: PANMUNJOM CONFERENCE : OFFICIALS.




Initials GHB/VS/BOB/PF



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED IN SEOUL, CAPITAL OF SOUTH KOREA, LAST WEDNESDAY (MAY 1) FOLLOWING A GRENADE EXPLOSION WHICH WOUNDED SEVEN PEOPLE INSIDE THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTRE NEAR THE CAPITAL BUILDING. MEANWHILE, THE DRAWN-OUT TALKS AT PANMUNJOM CONTINUE.

SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS BELIEVED THE BOMB ATTACK WAS THE WORK OF NORTH KOREA AGENTS IN A NEW MOVE OF HARASSMENT. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, ARMED POLICE MOVED IN TO GUARD MAJOR GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

THE TALKS AT PANMUNJOM, WHICH HAVE BEEN IN PROGRESS APART FROM SEVERAL ADJOURNMENTS SINCE 1951, HAD RECENTLY INCLUDED THE INFILTRATION OF NORTH KOREAN AGENTS AS ALLEGED BY SOUTH KOREA. LAST THURSDAY (MAY 2) AN AMERICAN GENERAL ACCUSED NORTH KOREA OF TAKING UP A NEW AGGRESSIVE POSTURE ALONG THE DEMILITARISED ZONE BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA. HE WAS SPEAKING FOR THE U.N. COMMAND.

BUT THE NORTH KOREAN SPOKESMAN ALLEGED AT THE ARMISTICE COMMISSION MEETING THAT SOUTH KOREANS HAD STAGED A RECENT ORGANISED ATTACK ON NORTH KOREAN POSITIONS.