895.00/4–3048: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
291. Zpol 4566. Quoted below is USAFIK’s translation of letter dated April 23 signed by alleged representatives of 56 parties and [Page 1185] organizations whose names will not be given in this message.1 Of the 56 parties, 41 are alleged to be South Korean parties and organizations, majority of which are leftist. Kim Koo’s and Kimm Kiusie’s organizations were only non-leftists of any importance but they individually did not sign for these organizations. The persons signing are very minor part representatives who accompanied them to North Korea, Following is text of message:
“Subject: Request from the joint conference of representatives of political parties and social organizations of South and North Korea
To: The Governments of USSR and USA
We, the representatives of over ten million members of 56 political parties and social organizations of South and North Korea, assembled here today and discussed the existing political situation of our fatherland. We hereby present this letter to the governments of USSR and USA in order that the will of the whole Korean people be brought to the attention of the governments concerned. Three years have elapsed since the emancipation of our fatherland, by the Allies assistance, from the Japanese imperialistic control and oppression.
We, the Koreans, congratulated the epoch-making, much coveted emancipation with wholehearted joy and eternal blessings, believing that we, the Korean people, who had been liberated from Japanese aggression and colonial slavery, could build sovereign, democratic, and independent nation in our fatherland. But, our peoples historic prayer for the rehabilitation of our fatherland as a sovereign, democratic, independent nation has not yet been fulfilled. Today our fatherland is separated in two parts. This has been a great hindrance to the political, economic and cultural life of our people.
Having analyzed and discussed very carefully the present political situation of our fatherland, we have come to the following unanimous decision:
We declare, without any hesitation, that the whole responsibility for creating today’s unbearable political situation lies solely with the American Government authorities. Because, utilizing the temporary thirty-eight degree line drawn at the time of occupation of Korea by the two armies, the American Government authorities divided our fatherland forever and are to hold a unilateral election in South Korea for the purpose of delaying the unification and independence of our fatherland.
The joint conference of the representatives of political parties and social organizations of South and North Korea declare upon their own honor and responsibility that under no condition, no circumstance, nor at any time will the people of Korea ever recognize the unilateral election in South Korea and that with all their might they must block the materialization of the election. In the name of thirty million people of all Korea we oppose and protest against the UN decision, which was adopted without Korean representation and against the will of the people. We also oppose and protest against the illegal [Page 1186] decision of the UN Interim Committee. We demand that UNTCOK must stop immediately the illegal, oppressive and irrational election trick and withdraw from Korea immediately because the UNTCOK has been utilized as a tool in dividing Korea.
The whole people of South and North Korea demand unification and democracy. The Korean people have ability to establish a united, democratic government with their own hands without any interference from any foreign nation.
According to our conviction, under the present circumstances any [and] conditions, the simplest, wisest and the most rational way of solving the Korean problem is by carrying out the USSR Government proposal for the immediate, simultaneous withdrawal of the foreign troops from Korea and giving the right to Koreans to solve their own national problem with their own hands.
The joint conference of the political parties and social organizations of the South and North Korea hereby requests of the USSR and USA Governments that the two nations’ troops withdraw simultaneously from our Korea; that by a voluntary, free and democratic election throughout the whole country Koreans should establish a united, democratic nation which will enable our fatherland to have real independence and to become, on equal terms, a member of the family of freedom loving nations.”
- The names were given along with text in despatch 108, May 3, from Seoul, not printed; received May 19 (895.00/5–348).↩