Editorial Note
On June 17, President Rhee called
in Ambassador Briggs and handed
him a letter replying to President Eisenhower’s communication of June 6. Rhee informed Briggs that he would make the letter
public on June 19. Rhee then made
an oral statement amplifying a reference he made in the letter to the
proposed mutual defense pact. Believing that these observations were
inappropriate in the letter, Rhee
asked Briggs to transmit their
gist to Washington. The following excerpt from telegram 8 from Seoul,
June 17, 1953, was Briggs’
description of the points made by Rhee:
- “1. US responsibility shortly after turn of century for
Japanese domination of Korea. Rhee said that in 1904 in contravention
US–Korea treaty of 1882 and in exchange for free hand from
Japan in Philippines, US Government had agreed not to
interfere with Japanese ambitions in Korea.
- “2. In 1945, US agreed with Russia on arbitrary division
of Korea at 38th Parallel. US was doubtless acting in good
faith and had not foreseen refusal of Communists to leave
North Korea, but nevertheless US Government by acquiescing
in establishment that arbitrary line had created situation
which to this day has prevented unification of Korea.
- “3. In 1950 by such statements as declaring Korea outside
US defense perimeter, American Government responsible for
encouraging Communists to attack South Korea. Those
statements, Rhee
repeated, had led directly to attack of June 25,
1950.
- “4. US has entered into defense pacts with Australia and
New Zealand, Philippines and Japan, wherefore Korea is
entitled to benefits of similar pact with US.
- “5. Korea needs defense pact today for protection against
Communists but may need it tomorrow for protection against
Japan. Rhee declared
Japan has abandoned none of its aspirations of ultimate
domination
[Page 1193]
of
Korea and that fact explains campaign he said is now being
waged by Japanese press against negotiation of Korea-US
defense pact.” (795.00/6–1753)
For text of the letter from Rhee to Eisenhower, see the Department of State Bulletin, July 6, 1953, pages 13–14.
