Peace prize to commemorate victims of U.S. massacre in S. Korea

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- A peace prize to commemorate victims of a U.S.
massacre in South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War will be established this
year, families of the victims said Monday.
Starting November this year, the annual Nogunri Peace Prize will honor civic
activists and journalists, who contributed to the improvement of world peace and
human rights, according to the surviving families.
In July 1950, U.S. soldiers opened fire on an approaching line of South Korean
refugees at Nogunri, about 160km south of Seoul, believing communist North Korean
soldiers might be hiding among them, according to a 2001 Pentagon report.
Hundreds of South Koreans, including many women and children, were believed to
have been killed.
The U.S. government expressed regret over the incident, but it's still unclear
whether the mass killing took place under orders or was the result of panicky
soldiers shooting at refugees.
"We decided to establish this award, in order to let the world know about the
worst massacre in modern history and to contribute to the advancement of world
peace," said Chung Ku-do, a representative of the families.
The awardees will be granted 10 million won (US$7,856), he said.