Office of the Historian

250. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea1

Washington, October 11, 1957—7:49 p.m.

308. For Ambassador. UK 977291 CC,2 Deptel 229,3 your 73.4 We are greatly concerned as you know with earliest attainment ROK agreement force reduction in line plan contained Deptel 229. Recognize final decision will be made by President Rhee but that most practical approach may be first to line up ROK Ministry of Defense, JCS and Army support as indicated your 73. Would appreciate your appraisal progress so far made in discussions at Defense Ministry level. Assume for tactical reasons problem has not been broached directly to President Rhee since your June 21 approach at Chinhae.5

Herter
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/10–1157. Secret; Limit Distribution; No Distribution Outside Department. Drafted by Gregory Henderson of NA and approved by Jones.↩
  2. In telegram UK 977291 CC from CINCUNC to the Department of the Army, October 5, Decker reported that he and Ambassador Dowling had met with the Defense Minister and senior South Korean military leaders on October 4 to transmit the proposals outlined in Document 247. (Department of Defense Files)↩
  3. Document 247.↩
  4. See footnote 2, Document 231.↩
  5. See Document 224.↩