Office of the Historian

357.AD/4–1851: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Korea 1

secret
Washington, April 18, 1951—7 p. m.

806. Re UNCURK role, urtel 839, Apr 5, NY’s 1382, Apr 9,2 Deptcirtel 639, Apr 18. Suggest you pass on discreetly to selected UNCURK members fol suggestions for possible UNCURK activity, based on reftels:

1.
As political Rep of UN, maintain close contact with other UN operations in Korea, consulting and advising with UC on problems mutual interest;
2.
Maintain close contact ROK Govt and discuss problems in which UN has legitimate interest, particularly those in which UN can assist ROK;
3.
Initiate programs and prepare materials setting forth UN role in present situation, stressing international character of support being provided and genuine interest UN Member States in achievement UN objectives. These might be designed to strengthen popular understanding in Korea, and made available to UC for use in PW camps as well as for psychological warfare to bring truth home to peoples of North Korea and China. Similarly, UNCURK cld provide SYG materials for dissemination throughout world publicizing all aspects UN effort, as well as ROK cooperation with that effort and its contribution to its own defense;
4.
Initiate studies and analyses, e.g.:
a.
Enemy observance of international conventions—specifically treatment POW’s, hospital ships, etc;
b.
Commie treatment civilians in occupied areas, evidence of Commie atrocities, etc;
c.
Commie propaganda and other materials, dated before or after June 25, indicating aggressive purpose and build up for aggression; also propaganda alleging atrocities UN forces with view to disproving it;
d.
ROK Govt administration and organization, policies and reforms re land tenure, trade, education, police, refugees, public welfare activities, etc;
e.
General political developments in Korea including public attitudes.

Suggest also discussions ROK and UC to gain maximum cooperation for any UNCURK programs along above lines.

Acheson
  1. Repeated to the U.S. Mission at the United Nations as telegram 859, to Canberra as telegram 280, to Santiago as telegram 382, to The Hague as telegram 1181, to Karachi as telegram 662, to Manila as telegram 2489, to Bangkok as telegram 1529, and to Ankara as telegram 542.↩
  2. Neither printed. These telegrams dealt with the problem of low morale among UNCURK members and suggested various ways in which UNCURK might be encouraged to contribute to the U.N. effort in Korea (357.AD/4–551, 4–951).↩