70. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State1

157. Tokyo pass CINCUNC. At approximately 9:30 a.m. August 6 Lt Col Choi, ROK member of UNCMAC Advisory Group, delivered the following letter from the ROK Government to the Swiss-Swedish Secretariat of NNSC and later furnished a copy to the senior member UNCMAC:

“I have the honor to notify, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea, you of the following:

Whereas the large military build-up in North Korea unequivocally proves the loss of the raison d’être of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission; whereas the Communist military menace to the Republic of Korea is ever increasing; whereas, under the circumstances, the existence of the Communists engaging in espionage activities in the territories of the Republic of Korea poses a grave danger to the national security of Korea; and whereas the Government of the Republic of Korea cannot but take measures to safeguard the national security by exercising the right of self-defense of a sovereign nation; now, therefore, the Government of the Republic of Korea demands the members of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission to withdraw from the territories of the Republic of Korea no later than 2400 hours of August 13, 1955. And the Government of the Republic of Korea declares that it cannot assume any responsibility for any incident occurring to the members of the Commission who fail to comply with the demand set forth above. Chung W. Cho, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.2 The Honorable Members Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.”

This emphasizes yet again the imperative necessity of reaching a decision which will lead to a solution of this vexatious and dangerous problem.

It will be recalled (Ref Embtel 152;3 sent Tokyo 665), that on the occasion of our visit to President Rhee, the President’s categorical assurances to General Lemnitzer and myself that he would not use force in attempting to revoke control of the Kaesong area, etc. we in no way matched by analogous assurances with respect to the use of force against the NNSC. It can be expected that “spontaneous demonstrations” by “civilians” will take place in the principal centers in ROK during the coming week and these may well lead to serious consequences.

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Whatever action is decided upon will probably appear at this stage to have been forced upon US and UNC as a result of this demand by ROKG.

Lacy
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/8–655. Confidential; Niact. Repeated to Tokyo.
  2. Foreign Minister Pyun resigned on August 1.
  3. Supra.