Office of the Historian

895.00/2–848: Telegram

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

secret
Seoul, February 8, 1948.

63. Cite Zpol 153. Reference strike letter quoted Seoul PolAd No. 62, February 8,1 following is tabulation up to 9 a. m. February 8 of resulting incidents: Total number of incidents: 105 (these include riots large and small, removal of rails, cutting of telephone lines, damaging transformers, et cetera); rail lines cut 4; trains derailed 1; locomotives damaged 50; and attacks on police boxes 21. The unconfirmed report of casualties for same period is police killed 4, police wounded 9, police captured 2, civilians killed 14, civilians injured 3, civilians arrested 150.

[Page 1098]

Whether this Communist outburst is merely a trial balloon for three days (period mentioned in letter to General Hodge) or will continue remains to be seen.2

Jacobs
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. In telegram 74, February 11, from Seoul, a summary of developments was reported, including killing of 12 police and 36 civilians (895.00/2–1148).↩