S.Korean-US talks begin in Seoul

South Korea and the United States begin two days of talks in Seoul today aimed at reforming the special agreement under which American troops operate in the country.

One of the main points at issue is that US soldiers who commit crimes are only handed over to the local authorities once they've been tried and convicted -- fuelling resentment against the thirty-seven-thousand servicemen based there.

The BBC correspondent in Seoul says anti-American feeling has been increasing in South Korea, aided in part by thawing relations with the north.

The American military has also faced criticism for dumping thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals in a river in Seoul, and for continuing to use a bombing range south of the capital. The American Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defence, Frederick Smith, has said Washington is prepared to revise the agreement and address South Korean concerns.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service