Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Korea)/1–2546: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Political Adviser in Korea (Benninghoff)38

Washington, January 26, 1946.

13. The following is full translation of Tass statement on Korean question appearing Soviet press January 25 as received from Embassy Moscow as No. 227, January 25:

[Here follows quotation of telegram printed on page 617.]

Foregoing version of draft proposals and proceedings that led to the Moscow communiqué is substantially correct. In same connection [Page 623] Actg. Secretary at his press conference of 25th made the following statement:

[Here follows quotation of statement printed in Department of State Bulletin, February 3, 1946, page 155.]

General Hodge may use the foregoing in any way he sees appropriate to clarify the matter in the minds of the public or persons interested. The American paper referred to by Tass is being communicated to you separately.39 The agreement on Korea contained in the communiqué is, with two minor alterations, exactly in the form presented by the Russians.

Byrnes
  1. This telegram was not received in Seoul until February 9.↩
  2. Sent in telegram 15, January 29; see footnote 28, p. 617.↩