501.BB Korea/1–549
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Butterworth)
| Participants: | Dr. Chough Pyung Ok, Personal Representative of the President of the Republic of Korea (Rhee) |
| Mr. W. Walton Butterworth | |
| Mr. Niles W. Bond, Assistant Chief of the Division of Northeast Asian Affairs |
Dr. Chough called by appointment this afternoon to pay his farewell visit prior to relinquishing his post in Washington and returning to Korea. He stated at the outset that he regarded the favorable action of the General Assembly at its recent session and the consequent full [Page 941] recognition of his Government by the United States as highly auspicious and favorable developments for his Government. He said, however, that he was very much concerned by developments in China and by the prospect that south Korea might soon find itself surrounded by a solidly Communist continent of Asia. He said that he could not help fearing that, in such an eventuality, some rash members of the Korean National Assembly, prompted by the view that they should make their peace with the Communists while the making was good, might propose that south Korea agree to unification with north Korea on terms laid down by the latter.
I said that I regarded it as highly important in the present situation that the Korean Government remain strong and unified and that personal differences of opinion within the Government be subordinated to the national interest. I said that I also felt that it was essential that the new Korean Government avoid the mistake of becoming static and anti-progressive, and thereby losing the support of the people. I drew an analogy to the situation in China and pointed out that perhaps the greatest source of weakness in the Nationalist Government in China arose from its having made just that mistake. I added that the static character of the Nationalist Government and its failure to accommodate itself to the developing needs of the Chinese people had alienated the support of many Chinese who were in no sense of the word Communists.
Dr. Chough said that he entirely agreed in theory with what I had said but that he wished to point out that an enlightened and progressive policy such as I had mentioned might well be a luxury which could not be afforded by a government fighting for its very existence. I agreed but pointed out that the Korean Government, by following a dynamic rather than a static policy now, might well succeed in avoiding a situation in which it would be forced to fight for its very existence.
Dr. Chough stated that he would take my views back with him to Korea and would keep what I had said seriously in mind.
In conclusion I said that Mr. Lovett1 had asked me to express his regret that he had been deprived of the opportunity of seeing Dr. Chough prior to the latter’s departure. Dr. Chough said that he too was sorry and that he regretted also not having been able to see Secretary Marshall.
- Robert A. Lovett, Under Secretary of State.↩