281. Memorandum of Conversation Between President Kennedy and the Korean Ambassador (Il Kwon Chung)0

After an exchange of courtesies, Ambassador Chung raised the question of whether or not our interest in the ROK-Japanese settlement presaged a reduction of U.S. commitments and an attempt to shift the responsibility to Japan.

The President assured the Ambassador that this was not the case. He said that the Korean economic problems were so great that Korea needed all the assistance that the U.S. and Japan could provide. Our hope was that Japan could play her part in addition to what the U.S. was able to furnish. Further, the President noted that the Japanese were in no sense prepared to take over our military commitments, and we had every intention of maintaining them. He urged the Ambassador to repeat these reassurances to Chairman Park.

Ambassador Chung showed the President some figures concerning present North Korean production levels in steel, cement, electric power and fertilizer, with South Korea goals for 1966, and pointed out the population discrepancies between the two parts of the country as well.

The President then handed Ambassador Chung his response to General Park’s letter1 and repeated his request that the Ambassador transmit to his government our assurances in the matter of continued help for Korea.

The meeting lasted about 15 minutes.

CK
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.95B/10-962. Confidential. Drafted and initialed by Kaysen.
  2. Pak’s September 12 letter outlined the Korean position on settlement of the outstanding issues between Korea and Japan. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Korea, Park Correspondence—B) Kennedy’s response of October 9, which encouraged Pak to be flexible and forthcoming in the negotiations, is ibid. According to an October 4 memorandum from Forrestal to Komer, Chung was given this “off the record” and unusual meeting with the President because of information received that Pak was annoyed that his letter of September 12 was not delivered in person by Chung to the President. (Ibid., General, 8/62-3/63)