740.00119 Control (Korea)/10–145
The Political Adviser in Korea (Benninghoff) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 17.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a communication87 received by the Commanding General, United States Army Forces in Korea, which contains the first authenticated eyewitness report of political activities of Soviet occupational forces in Korea north of the 38th parallel. The two Korean signers of the letter have been questioned at length by Americans familiar with Korea, and there appears to be no doubt of their bona fides. In any event, the information submitted is similar in character to many rumors and oral reports of conditions in Soviet territory which this headquarters has received.
The letter in question refers to events in the city of Syn-wi-ju (at the mouth of the Yalu River across from Antung) after August 15, when the surrender of the Japanese forces was announced, with particular emphasis on conditions following the entry of Soviet forces into the city on August 30. It appears that on August 16 the city fathers of Syn-wi-ju organized a “Self-Rule Council” which was expanded on August 25 to administer the affairs of the whole province. This Council was successful, and in spite of the facts that 1400 criminals [Page 1066] were set free and the Council had no arms, peace and order were maintained throughout the province. The commander of the Soviet forces, following his entry on August 30, forcibly replaced this Council with a “Peoples Political Committee” in which the dominant position was given to two minuscule Korean communist groups. A Communist Party was then permitted to organize, although an opposition “Democratic Party” was forced to disband. The Soviets appear to be using the radio and press, as well as leaflets dropped from aircraft, for the spread of their doctrines. The informants are of the opinion that Russian forces elsewhere in northern Korea are following similar tactics, and that they are determined to communize the country to the greatest extent possible.
In view of such conditions to the north, the Commanding General of USAFIK does not expect that efforts “at the military level” to bring about collaboration between the American and Soviet zones of occupation will produce the desired results. It is possible that small and strictly military problems susceptible of local solution can be settled satisfactorily, but it seems unlikely that fundamental matters involving questions of broad principle, such as economic or political controls and policies for the country as a whole, will even reach the stage of discussion here unless negotiations at the highest level in Washington and Moscow result in appropriate instructions to the commanders in Korea.
In the meantime, Lieutenant General Hodge continues to try to establish satisfactory relations with the Soviet Commander, General Chistiakov,88 with headquarters at Pyongyang (Heijo). In a recent letter he invited the general to a conference to discuss problems of mutual interests; a similar invitation, delivered orally about two weeks ago by an American group of officers which visited Soviet headquarters, has never been accepted or answered.
Respectfully yours,