Seoul talks on US troops

Some protesters want US troops withdrawn

US and South Korean officials have begun talks on modifying a treaty governing American troops in South Korea, amid continued protests over the deaths of two girls crushed by a US army vehicle in June.

The meeting in Seoul followed an apology by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on Tuesday for the accidental deaths of the teenagers.

There has been mounting public anger in South Korea since a US military court acquitted two US soldiers over the incident, with thousands of people taking to the streets in protest.

An apology from US President George Bush, conveyed through the US ambassador to Seoul two weeks ago, failed to stem the protests.

On Tuesday Mr Armitage again conveyed Mr Bush's "deepest apology" for the deaths, and said Washington was committed to work to improve the Status of Forces Agreement (Sofa) which governs the 37,000 US troops stationed in South Korean.

Talks continuing

Mr Armitage was on a short visit to Seoul to hold talks on North Korea and Iraq, before heading to Beijing.

Some restaurants have joined the protests

Protesters are demanding that the two US soldiers be retried in a South Korean court and that the Status of Forces Agreement (Sofa), covering the legal status of the US troops, be revised to give South Korea more jurisdictional power.

Officials would not say if that was on the agenda in the current talks, but the US Embassy said the meeting would discuss "steps that were taken or will be taken so that such an accident doesn't happen again".

South Korea is a key regional ally to the US, and President Kim Dae-jung has warned the demonstrations should not lead to calls for the withdrawal of US troops.

The US Army has said it accepts responsibility for the accident and has issued a series of apologies. It has also paid more than $150,000 compensation to each of the girls' families and collected $30,000 for a memorial to the girls.

Talks on possible changes to the Sofa are due to continue on Thursday.