895.00/4–548: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
210. Cite Zpol 430. This morning Lyuh Woon Hong, head of Social Democratic Party (coalition) and brother of late Lyuh Woon Hyung, [Page 1170] called on General Hodge requesting, so he stated, on behalf of liaison group chosen to make exploratory trip to Pyongyang for Kimm Kiusic and Kim Koo: (1) credentials and (2) assistance in getting to Pyongyang on one of Command’s trains supplying US liaison officers there. This liaison group consists of Choi Tong Oh, former vice chairman of SKILA who resigned when coalition group bolted that legislative body; Kwan Tai Yung, Kimm Kiusic’s secretary; and Ahn Kaung Kern, Kim Koo’s secretary.
General Hodge declined either to give credentials or to permit group to travel on US military train. He told them it was policy of Command neither to assist nor to obstruct departure and travel of representatives invited to attend proposed conference of North-South Korea leaders at Pyongyang. General Hodge added that invitees were free to leave South Korea at any time if they traveled by ordinary public facilities. Also if he were advised in advance when they expected to cross border, he would give instructions to our military and to South Korean police that they should interpose no obstacles to their crossing the border in either direction.
I feel that the position taken by Command is eminently correct because Lyuh’s approach to General Hodge seems to be effort either to gain official recognition of proposed group by Command or, if Command refuses to give such recognition, to elicit refusal in such way as to make it appear that Command prevented them from going to Pyongyang.