PHOTOS OF KOREA BY U.S. TROOPS REVEALED

[Anchor Lead]

Photographs of the Yongsan area taken by American troops are on public display. These rare images taken between the days immediately following Korea's liberation and the 1960s have never been shown before. The collection includes even aerial shots of the Seoul areas reoccupied by North Korean forces immediately after the January 4th Retreat.

[Pkg]

In early September 1945, barely a month after Korea's liberation, an American reconnaissance plane flew over Seoul. Its mission was to photograph the vicinity of the Yongsan army base, which U.S. forces planned to take over from the Japanese military. This train leaving Yongsan Station is the Joseon Liberator, the first Korean-assembled steam locomotive since the country gained independence. Seoul was again occupied by North Korean forces following the January 4th Retreat. The Yongsan army base was taken over by North Korean and Chinese troops. Some 80 photographs taken by American soldiers that were kept at the U.S. National Archive are now displayed to the public. These images of the Yongsan area were taken between the days immediately following Korea's liberation in 1945 and 1964.

[Soundbite] JANG JEONG-HWAN(SEOUL RESIDENT) : "Japan's military command of Korea was most stirring. That was where the Japanese colonial government suppressed Korea by force."

The images of the same area taken at different times show how much has changed over the years.

[Soundbite] KIM JI-SEON(SEOUL RESIDENT): "My ancestors lived in Yongsan for about 400 years. I was impressed by the photos of the area that I only heard about."

The displayed pieces were discovered among hundreds of thousands of photographs. Korean historians traveled to Washington to examine each one with a scanner.

[Soundbite] KIM CHEON-SU(YONGSAN CULTURE CENTER) : "This area represents Korea's contemporary history, from the Japanese occupation era to Korea's liberation and modern times."

The exhibit featuring photos never before seen in Korea is on until November 29th.