740.0011 PW (Peace)/8–2947: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
306. ZPOL 1084. 1. Dr. Kimm Kiusic has asked that message quoted below signed by him as chairman and by all other members of the interim Legislative Assembly of South Korea be transmitted to President Truman. They also ask that identic message be sent to Prime Minister Attlee and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
Message is as follows:
“We hereby express our desire that Korea be allowed to participate in the coming peace conference with Japan. The direct participation of Korea for her own interest is justified by the fact that relationship between Korea and Japan had been very complicated for a long period.
Accept, Sir, our highest consideration and greatest respects and we hope you will continue to offer your best efforts for world peace.”
2. Dr. Kimm has been informed that the message has been forwarded to Department of State as the appropriate agency for handling communications of this kind from South Korean authorities to higher American and other non-Korean authorities.
3. We feel here that some representative of the South Korea Government might well be permitted to attend the peace conference with [Page 512] Japan if only in the capacity of an observer. We realize however that granting such permission to a representative of South Korea will probably move the USSR, if it attends the conference, to request that a representative from North Korea be present. To permit representatives from both North and South Korea to attend an international gathering such as the Japanese peace conference might be objectionable from the viewpoint of emphasizing the division of Korea into two separate political entities. Accordingly, as Dr. Kimm has been informed of the foregoing disposition of the Assembly’s message, no further reply need be given him unless it is desired that we inform him that the State Department is giving consideration to the matter.
4. The question of some American representation (State or War) from Korea at the conference was raised in Seoul PolAd No. 226, July 22, to which the Department replied in Department’s telegram 158, July 31.45 Regardless of action taken with respect to Korean representatives, we feel that these American representatives should attend.
- Neither printed.↩