895.6463/5–2248: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
383. General Hodge is releasing to press this date under quoted letter dated May 17 which he sent to General Korotkov1 regarding electric power from North Korea.
“On 14th May 1948, at noon, power from North Korea was cut off from the southern zone. Since you, as the Soviet commander in control of North Korea, are responsible for acts in your zone, it is my duty to protest to you against this high-handed action which can only be considered as a political move to punish more than 20 million Korean people in South Korea in retaliation for their action on May 10 in expressing their desire for sovereign independence in the first free election in the long history of the Korean people.
[Page 1204]In view of my repeated efforts to arrange for equitable payments, this action is all the more unjustifiable and leads to the conclusion that your publicized statements concerning non-payment for electric power are only a subterfuge to hide the motive behind the act. Such publicity certainly will not fool the Korean people nor will it fool the free nations of the world.
The demand that I deal with the North Korean People’s Committee made by you in past letters falls in the same category. As you well know and as you have frequently stated in your letters, the commanders of the occupying forces are responsible, each in his respective zone, until a sovereign Korean Government is established that can be generally recognized by the world.
In power conferences last summer, each command had representatives Koreans at the conferences, whose actions were subject to review and approval by the US–USSR representatives. It is my firm stand that future conferences should be conducted in the same manner.
I remind you that there are now awaiting delivery to your representatives in payment for past electric power over 60 car loads of goods representing well over 2 million United States dollars in value. The items available are all in the scarce item category in South Korea, have been gathered after considerable effort, and are greatly desired by the South Korean people if you do not want them. The flow into Korea of items ordered by this command expect[ed] [to] be used for payments for power received in the past is now such that the entire amount should be available within a comparatively short period.
I remind you again of my repeated requests for a joint US–USSR conference to negotiate a basis for settlement for electric power since June 1, 1947. Such conference should of necessity include Korean experts from both zones as in similar past conferences. Therefore, I repeat my former request that you name the time and place for such a conference at an early date in order that the United States Command may be permitted to pay for current usage of power.
As a prelude to any deliveries of goods in payment or in negotiations for future payments, I must request that the flow of power to South Korea be restored at once.”
- Telegram 396, May 27, from Seoul, reported a change in command of the Soviet forces in north Korea; Lt. Gen. Serafim Petrovich Merkulov had replaced Lt. Gen. Korotkov (501.BB Korea/5–2748).↩