Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Korea)/12–2645: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

Washington, December 26, 1945—7 p.m.

2634. For Vincent.62 Following reports from Hodge on plant removals by Soviets in their zone in Korea may be added to similar reports in your file:

  • “1. Removal of machinery north of 38th parallel. During past month reports from infiltrators disclose Russian Army north of 38th degree line dismantling, crating and moving machinery to Russia. Soviet attitude appears to be that all factories and equipment were possessions of Jap war industrialite [industrialists?] and consequently can now be confiscated. Following are examples:
    (a)
    At Songjin (Joshin) (1200–20 [2020]) former civilian employee with frequency wave heavy industrial company reports Russians dismantling and loading cranes, heavy equipment and even window glass aboard ships.
    (b)
    At Wonsan (Genzan) (1040–1830) former employee Chosen Refinery Company reports precision machinery of refinery being put aboard ship as was equipment from Mearoh Water Company. Ship rumored going Vladivostok. Ten factories this area reported stripped.
    (c)
    At Shingishu (750–1950) machinery, locomotives, junked cars, leather and dry goods reported shipped away.
    (d)
    At Pyongyang (Heijo) (880–1820) equipment dismantled at Korea Petroleum Company and the American Corn Products concern (Korean Branch).
    (e)
    At Sinchon (Anien) (890–1860) Mitsubishi Chemical Company nitrate plant being dismantled.
    (f)
    In industrial area southeast of Hamhung (Kanko) Russians reported to have removed considerable portion of Hungnam (Konan) [Page 1150] nitrate plant as well as stripping other factories in area producing carbide, gun powder, aluminum, machine tools and copper fittings. These concerns formerly using 400,000 kw daily from Korea Power Company now consume none.
    (g)
    On 12 November removal of equipment from repeater station begun Chongju (Teishu) (830–1900).
    (h)
    By 24 November at Yalu River Power Plant (1990–815) unit number 3 removed completely and shipped to unknown destination, unit number 4 is 80% disassembled and turbine roll removed from unit number 5. All map references this message are Korea series 1/250,000.”63

Acheson
  1. The Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs accompanied Secretary of State Byrnes to the meeting of Foreign Ministers at Moscow.↩
  2. War Department Army Map Service, Gazetteer to Maps of Korea, Series L551, September 1944.↩