740.00119 Control (Korea)/7–347: Telegram
Lieutenant General John R. Hodge to the Secretary of State
179. Cite Zpol 853. For Jacobs. Thirty-sixth meeting of Joint Commission held at Pyongyang P.M. July 1, General Brown chairman. In addition to the Commissioners present were approximately 60 Russians, 15 members of the American delegation, 150 Korean spectators including the North Korean Press. This was the formal meeting with the representatives of the northern political parties and social organizations, 38 in number. Kim Doo Bong15 although not a representative was seated with the representatives in a most prominent location. [Page 686] Total attendance about 265. The program followed faithfully the corresponding meeting in Seoul which was held on P.M. 25th June (35th meeting). General Shtikov gave the address of the day identical in text to that given by General Brown in Seoul.
Meeting was well managed and impressive although due to the smaller attendance and less elaborate surroundings it was not so impressive as the June 25th meeting in Seoul. Practically all of the Korean representatives were youthful. A successful effort was made to feature Kim Il Sung shaking hands with General Brown in the pictures which were taken at the close of the meeting.
Tentatively, schedule for second July is a business meeting to discuss the list of parties and organizations and schedule to be approved for oral consultation. Ends Jacobs’ message.
Hodge adds:
Report from Pyongyang as of 1530, 2nd July, 1947, states Soviets are trying to eliminate Chamber of Commerce and all such similar organizations from consulting and that they make charges that all rightist groups who have in the past been identified with a so-called “anti-trusteeship association” are guilty of instigating and fomenting active opposition in connection with the anti-trusteeship demonstration of 23rd June. Report says Soviet attitude “firm”.
It is becoming more apparent that the Russians are aware that all rightist and most middle of the road groups oppose “trusteeship” and that they will use this “opposition to the Moscow decision” to the fullest to eliminate all opponents of Soviet democracy from consultation.
I am certain that no rightist group has changed its basic opposition to “trusteeship”. All who agreed to cooperate in the Joint Commission did so to help get provisional government that will oppose “trusteeship” as Koreans understand it or get “helping and assisting” trusteeship as the Moscow decision indicates it could be. The word is as obnoxious today as it ever was and I feel sure that many if not most rightist groups will bolt consultation the minute they feel that “freedom of expression” is endangered. Clarification of the concept of “trusteeship” by State or by Joint Commission would help situation.
Reports from our delegation in North Korea and the liaison officers there, combined with an interview by General Brown with Cho Man Sik, the great Korean leader held in protective custody by Soviets, indicate that so far as consultation on the North Koreans is concerned we will get nothing except the arrest of Communist demands for the form, operation and personnel of the provisional government.16
It is my personal belief that the Joint Commission has little chance of success on any basis acceptable to the United States except possibly [Page 687] through the formation of provisional government by free and supervised universal suffrage which there is no indication the Russians will accept. There is growing trend of information from North Korea to the effect that the Russians do not expect or intend the Joint Commission to succeed, although I have little doubt they will cooperate fully so long as they have their way.