501.BB Korea/5–3048: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
priority
407. Cite Zpol 778. I have had three talks with Syngman Rhee past weeks, the last one this morning. Have been endeavoring to disabuse his mind of his apparently fixed ideas that General Hodge and the US Government is trying to dictate to him and the new Assembly. Immediate occasion for my visits arose out of reports of his anger over General Hodge’s proclamation of May 25 on opening of Assembly. I found that although he was upset and making irrational statements about the proclamation, he had never read it. After taking him a copy and going over it with him word for word and explaining its connection with the election law and regulations, he calmed down and seems to be satisfied.1
[Page 1211]During course of this morning’s talk I learned something of what he plans to say at the opening of the Assembly tomorrow. In substance, as he told me, it is as follows:
Task of Assembly is to decide upon a constitution or other organic act of order and then to form government accordingly and inform UN Commission. US authorities are ready to hand over governmental authority when arrangements have been made. Thanks will be expressed for what US and UN have done to help Korea and hope expressed that US will continue to aid and assist and lend services of technicians. Hope will also be expressed that US troops remain until an adequate South Korean security force can be trained and armed. He will say that no harm can come of this as world knows that US has no territorial ambitions in Korea or elsewhere. He will make a plea for harmonious relations and cooperation among Korean leaders so that task of organization and reconstruction can be more easily accomplished. Reference will be made to need and hope for unification of North and South Korea. On subject of Communists and dissidents all will be forgiven if they give up ideas of sabotage and efforts to take orders from abroad. On subject of foreign trade policy will be to develop industries and resume trade relations with oriental countries including Japan.
While in his talks with me Rhee has been calm and pleasant, he clearly talks as if he were already president and that all factions will do his bidding. He gave no indication that he realizes political intrigue going on among members of Assembly who will oppose giving Rhee dictatorial power which he wants and seems to think is already his.
- In a letter of May 27 General Hodge congratulated the members of the Assembly; he quoted his letter in telegram 424, June 4, from Seoul (895.00/6–448). For text of letter, see Department of State Bulletin, June 20, 1948, p. 800.↩