751J.5/2–254
Memorandum of Conversation, by Noel Hemmendinger of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs
Subject:
- ROK Offer of Division for Laos
Participants:
- Ambassador You Chan Yang, Korean Embassy
- Philip Han, Counselor, Korean Embassy
- Walter S. Robertson, Assistant Secretary, FE
- Noel Hemmendinger, NA
Ambassador Yang said that the Korean Government realized that it had to be prepared to defend its own soil but also feels keenly that the fight against Communism in Indochina is the fight of all anti-Communist countries and is willing, if the United States does not object, to send a division to help in the defense of Laos.
Mr. Robertson said that this is primarily a military question but that, speaking personally, he did not see how a division could be spared from Korea without impairing the defenses there. He reminded the Ambassador that there had been a protest from Foreign Minister Pyun at the proposed withdrawal of two United States divisions, although President Rhee had been assured that these two divisions would be withdrawn only when two ROK divisions were ready to take their place. The Korean offer, on which we already had information from [Page 1013] the United Nations Command,1 would be discussed with the Department of Defense. Whatever the outcome, the United States appreciated the commendable spirit which had prompted the Korean offer.
- In telegram C 66980 from Tokyo, Feb. 2, Gen. John E. Hull, Commander in Chief, Far East Command, transmitted letters from President Syngman Rhee and Premier Paik Too Chin containing the Korean offer of one division for Laos. The telegram was directed to the Department of the Army, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Army Chief of Staff (General Ridgway). (751G.5/2–254)↩