Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Far East and Australasia, Volume VII, Part 2

501.BB Korea/5–2049: Telegram

The Ambassador in Korea (Muccio) to the Secretary of State

Seoul, May 20, 1949.

574. Following is text of UNCOK press release No. 17 dated 19 May 1949:¹ On 18 February ’49 the United Nations Commission on Korea sent a telegram to the Secretary General of the United Nations for transmission to the USSR requesting that government to lend its good offices for establishing contact between the Commission and North Korean personalities.² No answer was received to that request. On that occasion it was stated that this attempt was only one of the endeavors made by the Commission to establish contact with the north. It was understood that the Commission would continue its efforts in this connection. Inquiries were made as to various possible channels of communication with the north. At the 10th, 12th, 14th meetings of subcommittee I, the Secretariat of the Commission presented a report upon its technical inquiries at various places concerning possible links with North Korea. The only practical method of communication was reported to be via ship from Hong Kong to a North Korean port in the light of these considerations and upon recommendation of subcommittee I the Commission decided at its 21st meeting on 18 March 1949 to instruct the principal Secretary to despatch a letter over his signature to General Kim Il Sung for purpose of effecting technical arrangements for the Commission or members of the Commission to visit North Korea. A member of the Secretariat left for Hong Kong the same day to carry the letter. The text of the letter sent to General Kim Il Sung is reproduced hereunder.

“As you are aware the United Nations Commission on Korea established by the General Assembly of the United Nations under resolution adopted on 12 December 1948 (copy attached), [has been desirous since its inception of making contact with the north. It gave expression to this desire in a resolution adopted on February 9, 1949 establishing two sub-committees (copy attached).]³ Having been charged to lend its good offices in bringing about the unification of Korea and to seek to facilitate this removal of barriers to economic, social and other friendly intercourse caused by the division of Korea as well as to be available for observation and consultation on the further development of representative government based on the freely expressed will of the people and to observe the actual withdrawal of the occupying forces and verify the Pact of withdrawal when such has occurred etc, the Commission felt that it could not implement these instructions without being in a position to inform itself of the situation north of the 38th parallel. As a first step in the implementation of the instructions received from the General Assembly the Commission on 18 February 1949 through the Secretary General of the United Nations requested the Government of the USSR to lend its good offices for the establishment of the desired contact. In view of the lack of normal communications including the impossibility of getting in touch with you directly by mail or cable I am choosing rather reluctantly this way of approaching you with the request to facilitate such a visit. This visit should take place at the earliest possible date. The Commission is informed that there are practical means of travel to North Korea via ship from Hong Kong without delay. However it feels that you might suggest a more direct means of access. For your information I am attaching a list of the Commission with indications of the membership of subcommittee I and II as well as a list of names of the members of the Secretariat who might accompany them. The latter are international officials who have sworn their allegiance exclusively to the United Nations and who are not allowed to accept any instructions from their own or from any other government. In view of the absence of normal means of communication your reply may be sent through the same channels as this letter is forwarded in its original. The necessary arrangements have been made in Hong Kong for any message from you to be transmitted to me without delay. I shall however be glad to receive any authentic reply from you in any other manner you might prefer. I am sir, etc. Signed Principal Secretary United Nations Commission on Korea.”⁴

Muccio

1. The press release was issued by UNCOK as a result of rumors and speculation concerning its contacts with the North Korean regime, “which in turn had provoked some concern in the minds of members of the Government of the Republic of Korea” (U.N. document A/936, p. 8). The text of a letter, dated May 19, from South Korean Foreign Minister Ben C. Limb to UNCOK questioning these alleged contacts is printed in U.N. document A/936/Add.1, p. 45.
2. The text of the message from UNCOK, to the Soviet Government is printed in U.N. document A/936, p. 8.
3. The bracketed portion of the message, as printed in U.N. document A/936, p. 8, was omitted from this telegram as received in the Department of State.
4. In telegram 696, June 13, from Seoul (not printed), Ambassador Muccio reported that the letter to Kim Il Sung had been returned to Hong Kong undelivered (501.BB Korea/6–1349); see also U.N. document A/936, p. 9.