895.00/9–249
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Korea
No. 83
The Secretary of State refers to the Embassy’s Despatch No. 553, September 7, 1949,1 and transmits herewith the Department’s views as to the desirability of encouraging the Government of the Republic of Korea to appeal to the General Assembly (or to the Security Council) if there should be a major military attack across the thirty-eighth parallel.
The Secretary of State requests that the Embassy report to the Department all particulars regarding any such military attack and the extent to which the Government of the Republic of Korea is in agreement with the course which the United Nations Commission proposes to follow. At that time the Secretary of State will transmit to the Embassy the views of the Department on any possible United Nations action in light of the particular conditions and circumstances contained in the report.
The resolution adopted by the General Assembly on October 21, 1949 reflects the fact that the Assembly has anticipated the possibilities of major military conflict in Korea and that it is taking steps to secure promptly from its own subsidiary organ particulars regarding any attack which may occur. Standard procedures are available whereby a Special Session might be called to consider this information if in the opinion of a majority of United Nations Member States such a session were to appear necessary.
As the findings of the Commission are likely to weigh heavily in the determination of any further United Nations action, the Government of the Republic of Korea might wish to bring its own course as closely as possible into harmony with the general tenor of Commission findings regarding a major attack.
- Not printed.↩