266. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to President Kennedy0

Your Meeting With General Van Fleet et al.1

Who is coming:

  • General Van Fleet—Head of the mission of businessmen to Korea
  • Ernest Barth—Vice President—International Agricultural Corp.
  • Corde Snyder—Not known to me
  • David Ginsburg—A very intelligent DC lawyer, and a good Democrat—counsel to the group

1.
You saw General Van Fleet’s group May 3rd.2 They have now been to Korea and come back with a warm welcome and some concrete proposals.3
2.
AID thinks they have done a good job but warns against any express or implied commitment of AID help at this time for these projects (Tab A)4
3.

Given recent reports of disturbance in Korea, you may want to ask General Van Fleet what he thinks of General Park and the SCNR (Supreme Council for National Reconstruction). Berger and our military in Korea are both troubled by

a.
Evidence of economic naivete and mismanagement;
b.
Increasing reluctance to consult fully with the U.S.;
c.
The growing influence of Kim Chong Pil, the head of the Korean CIA and a fairly fancy operator;
d.
Signs of disturbance in the recent resignation of the figurehead Prime Minister Song—whose place General Park has now taken.

All concerned still think Park is our best bet, but Berger thinks we may have to put some heat on soon to prevent a Rhee-like mess. (Tab B)5

4.
Finally, Berger has just asked that Vance Brand (a member of Van Fleet’s group) be urged to go through with a planned visit to Korea because Brand is “sophisticated and will be able to bring home to them the significance of their action.” This is worth repeating to Van Fleet and Ginsburg.
McG. B.
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, President’s Office Files, Korean Security, 1961-1963. No classification marking.
  2. President Kennedy met with General Van Fleet and his three colleagues as well as Seymour Janow of AID from 12:34 to 12:55 p.m. (Ibid., President’s Appointment Book) No other record of the meeting has been found.
  3. From 6:16 to 6:25 p.m. (Ibid.) Van Fleet was accompanied by 16 businessmen, members of a U.S. industrial mission to Korea to investigate possibilities in new or expanded ventures.
  4. In a memorandum from Brubeck to McGeorge Bundy, June 19, the Department of State described the mission of this private group and the enthusiastic welcome it received from the ROK Government. The concrete proposals included feasibility studies for investment of U.S. capital in various plants. (Department of State, Central Files, 895B.05111/6-1962)
  5. Tab A was a copy of the memorandum described in footnote 3 above. At the end of this paragraph, McGeorge Bundy wrote the following note: “Van Fleet’s is a private group, &we want to avoid misunderstanding here or in Korea on this point.”
  6. Tab B was telegram 1312 from Seoul, June 19; see footnote 1, Document 264. Tab C, telegram KA 41202 from Meloy, June 11, described approaching instability in the ROK and predicted a possible “sudden turn toward increased deterioration.” (Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/6-962)