Office of the Historian

501.BB Korea/6–149: Telegram

The Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Ross) to the Secretary of State 1

secret
priority
New York, June 1, 1949—6:50 p. m.

666. Korean representative Chough called at his request to press his government’s view that final US troop withdrawal should be postponed for one year.

Likening Korean situation to Greece, he referred to forces of 200,000 in north and Republic’s armed forces as 38,000. He urged Republic is simply not armed, has not munitions and is not prepared to defend itself against aggression, imminent in light of withdrawal US troops, increase in border incidents and situation in China.

Stressing UN angle, Chough referred to conversations with Evatt2 in which latter opposed withdrawal. This view he stated is shared by members UK delegation as well as China. He reads recent resolution UNTCOK [ UNCOK ] as showing opposition to US action which would threaten independence of Republic.3

[Page 1037]

Plans of government are based on reasonable amount of tranquility in next year during which it would spend most of 189 million ECA aid. Also, elections of next May would be more orderly with US troops in Korea.

Chough urges retention of present token force to allay mounting fear of invasion. He plans to see Department officers on Friday.4 His information is that withdrawal date is July 30. USUN stated simply his views would be forwarded to Department.

Ross
  1. The text of this message was transmitted to Seoul in the Department’s telegram 410, June 2.↩
  2. Herbert Vere Evatt, Australian Minister of External Affairs, had been President of the U.N. General Assembly during its third session.↩
  3. See telegram 576, May 20, from Seoul, p. 1033.↩
  4. June 3.↩