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Though government-led inquiry into the truth behind the massacre of the innocent at Nogunri is under discussion, many argue that Nogunri massacre is only a tip of the iceberg of the numerous crimes committed by the American soldiers.

On October 4th, "emergency committee to end the U.S. and Japan's war-plot and economic plunders in Korea and to promote independent and peaceful reunification" (president Oh-Chang Kwon) issued a statement on the Nogun-ri massacre. The committee argued that massacres by the American soldiers took place all over Korea during the Korean War, including the massacre of 19072 civilians in Anak-gun, Hwanghae-do.

According to the committee, the American forces also killed a third of the people of Cheju-do during the 4.3 movement and were also behind the new military government that killed around 2000 people in Kwangju during the 5.18 democratization movement.

Dong-man Kim, head official of the research center for Cheju 4.3 movement, said that the massacre by the American military government in Cheju was bigger in scale than the one in Nogunri. "Evidence are being compiled as we translate what have been gathered so far, and new evidence are being uncovered," said Kim. In addition, Yon-sik Huh, the director of education in the foundation established in memory of 5.18, said that if the truth is revealed through the investigation of Nugunri massacre, this would help inquire into the truth behind Kwangju 5.18 democratization movement as well. He pointed out that organizations of the 5.18 victims - the surviving families, the wounded, and the convicted - need to work together.

Dong-sim Kim, executive secretary of the center for rooting out crimes committed by the American soldiers in Korea, said that, since the AP reported the Nogunri massacre, though he is angry at the attitude the local press and government are taking toward the issue, many people are coming out to reveal they were the victims of massacres in such place as Masan, Changnyung.

"This is a major change from the past when just talking about crimes of the American soldiers was considered an act in support of the communists," said Kim. Kim also said that crimes committed by the American soldiers did not end with the mass scale killings in the past but continue to this day, as seen in the murders of Joongpil Jo of Hongik University and Jungsook Lee of Dongdoochun.

However, because the Korea-American administrative agreement deprives Korea of the power to punish American soldiers, there is a limit to what civil movement can accomplish. The center plans to hold a press conference on the 8th at the Christian Center along with other social organizations in order to get at the truth of Nugunri massacre.