Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Korea, Volume VII

795B.00/10–2050: Telegram.

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

secret
priority

Seoul, October 20, 1950.
[Received October 20—11:01 p. m.]

278. ReDeptel 206, October 17¹ and WAR 93721, October 9.² I recommend that first and second phases of occupation North Korea envisaged be contracted to shortest possible period, that barest minimum civil administrative structure be set up and that elections be held soonest—not later than early in January. I had good fortune being able to exchange views with General MacArthur to and from Wake and am confident this goes along with his thinking.

Since my return from Wake I have had protracted discussions with President Rhee and also with PriMin, HoMin and Chairman National Assembly. As a result I am satisfied that little disposition exists to question need retaining complete supreme authority North Korea in CINCUNC during occupation period. Mere thought that local North Korean civil authorities courts and police might be used for maintenance of law and order to maximum extent which military necessity permits has jarred Korean officials more than idea that Government ROK might be ignored by UN in achieving unification. However, I consider questioning UNC advisability retention local and provincial governments academic. Local and provincial governments in considerable portion of North Korea thus far liberated disappeared prior to arrival UN forces. As previously reported, I cannot conceive of any governmental machinery at national, provincial, or local levels being found anywhere in north. CINCUNC will therefore have to designate individuals to conduct necessary civil activities. Precise requirements for phases one and two cannot be foreseen and no attempt should be made to prescribe specific blue prints for such a complex operation. CINCUNC must be given widest latitude and discretion in establishment of peace and security measures without imposing on people of North Korea a complete governmental structure during this brief period.

I felt that understanding and spirit of mutual respect existing between Government of ROK, CINCUNC and this Embassy will facilitate eventual unification. President Rhee has agreed to avoid further public comment re authority in north and will send no officials or police north except as may be called forward by CINCUNC. Only police that have thus far gone north have been units attached to and operating with UN army organizations or such police detachments as have been required to safeguard fixed installations—all with concurrence EUSAK.

Re 4c:³ State should not formally designate representative as political advisor North Korea. When and if needed Embassy can act in advisory capacity informally thereby avoiding accentuating impression that endeavor here is really primarily US.

Re paragraph 7,⁴ “individual right”: I concur that mere membership in any political party should not subject individuals to prosecution or reprisal. However, no member of Communist party or of its political affiliates or official of the North Korean regimes should be permitted to hold office during phases one and two. Continuance of any such individual in civil administrative positions would ipso facto give him a privileged position since no non-Communist organizations permitted North Korea past five years.

Repeated information Tokyo unnumbered.

Muccio

1. Not printed; it requested Muccio’s comments as soon as possible on the draft directive for the governance of North Korea (795B.00/10–1450).
2. See footnote 2 to the draft paper prepared by the Department of the Army dated October 3, p. 857.

3. This paragraph of telegram WAR 93721 read as follows:

   “The Dept of State will designate a representative as your political advisor for North Korea.” [“Your” referred to General MacArthur.]

4. This paragraph of telegram WAR 93721 read as follows:

   “The mere fact that an indiv is or was a member of the armed forces of the North Korean Government, an ofl of that government or any local government, or a member of any political party will not subject him to prosecution or reprisal and will not, by that reason alone, bar him from office or employment. You will apprehend and hold for trial by aprop tribunals, in accordance with the law and customs of war, all persons who are or may be charged with atrocities or violations of the law and customs of war.”