278. Memorandum From Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affair Abramowitz to William Hyland of the NSC Staff, Washington, April 22, 1976.1 2
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON D.C. 20301
April 22, 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR MR. WILLIAM HYLAND, NSC
Bill:
This is a personal memo.
I think the quasi-NSSM on Korea, with certain exceptions, serves no useful purpose and should be withdrawn. I feel this particularly so since my people are going to be tied up in the next month preparing for ministerial meetings with the Koreans and do not have time to participate in what is essentially a paper exercise.
The NSC memorandum asks us, for example, to study the level of assistance to the ROK. This is not going to be decided by us. It is going to be decided by the Congress. We want as much FMS credits as possible, and we will get far less than we need. There is no question and no dispute among anybody on this point.
Similarly the question on the level of US military presence in Korea. Nobody in the Executive Branch wants to move our forces out and we can only define in general terms when that might be possible. We should stop screwing around for papers’ sake.
There are two subjects in the paper which do deserve attention. The first is the question of advanced technology transfer to Korea, particularly in the missile field. Although I think I know where I stand, an interagency study on this problem could be very helpful. I suggest you put a date of May 15 on this problem.
Also the question of an alternate command structure in Korea sooner or later has got to be addressed in an interagency forum. There is no urgency on the matter, however, and I would recommend a due date on that problem of July 15.
I would appreciate your consideration of the modification of the NSC memorandum.
[signed]
Morton I.
Abramowitz
Deputy Assistant Secretary