Matthews files, lot 53 D 413: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Clark) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
operational immediate
C 62369. 1. I have just heard from Harrison who tells me the ROK member of the delegation, Maj Gen Choi, has requested in the name of his government a postponement of today’s meeting because his government will not concur in either the eight-point Commie proposal or our counter proposal which envisages the location of custodial troops and personnel on ROK soil without its permission. Choi, being a member of the delegation and having sat in on the preliminary discussions in preparation for today’s meeting, presumably learned its contents and telephoned them to Rhee.
2. To the best of my knowledge since the armistice negotiations commenced the UNC has never been required to obtain, nor have we solicited, the approval of the ROK Government in advance of taking any of our negotiatory positions or in our negotiating tactics.
[Page 1008]3. In view of State msg 2489 to Murphy1 I assume that you are keeping the ROK Ambassador in Washington informed of current developments. At every opportunity I keep Rhee informed of current developments during my informal conversations with him.
4. I am flying to Korea today. I already had made an appointment with Rhee to see him at 1500 hours. Will discuss this subject with him, and report later today the results of my conference with him.