795.00/12–2150: Telegram
The Ambassador in Korea (Muccio) to the Secretary of State
priority
[Received December 21—2:26 a. m.]
596. Embtel 585, December 18. During past 3 days UN forces in Eighth Army sector continued out of contact with CCF. Light contact was maintained, however, with North Korean forces in 38th parallel area ranging from due north of Seoul to slightly east of Chunchon. Most significant development during 3 day period has been receipt of [Page 1586] intelligence reports indicating movement of CCF forces southeast from Pyongyang area and south from Koksan area toward parallel areas opposite Uijongou and Chunchon corridors leading to Seoul. These reports, while not firm, suggest there may be from 1 to 2 CCF armies deploying north of parallel. Unfortunately, visibility has been so poor past 3 nights that vehicles sightings have been inconclusive.
Communist air activity has been slight past 3 days. There were no sightings on eighteenth and twentieth; there were 2 sightings on nineteenth, one of which included two Migs observed as far south as Pyongyang.