795.00/6–2253
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Johnson)1
Subject:
- Chinese Communist Questions Concerning North Korean Prisoners of War
Participants:
- Mr. I. J. Bahadur Singh, Charge d’Affaires, Indian Embassy
- Mr. J. C. Kakar, First Secretary, Indian Embassy
- Mr. Johnson, FE
- Mr. Thacher, SOA
Mr. Singh said that he had received a message from Prime Minister Nehru containing some questions which the Chinese Government had raised with the Indian Embassy in Peiping concerning the present situation in Korea. The Chinese Communist Government has heard that all the North Korean prisoners have now been released and further that the former prisoners are now being impressed into the ranks of the Republic of Korea army. Mr. Singh said that the Chinese were very much disturbed about these matters and were very anxious to receive assurances on these points, feeling that they bore directly on the good faith of the UN and on its ability to abide by the terms of an armistice.
Mr. Johnson stated that all the North Korean prisoners had not been released, that there were some 8,000 to 9,000 still held, all of whom were now under American guard. Mr. Johnson said that all steps were being taken to hold these prisoners, short of mass firing, that is to say riot control methods, involving the use of shotguns and tear gas would be employed. Regrettably some firing had taken place between South Korean and UN troops. Active efforts were also being made to round up the North Korean prisoners who had escaped.
Mr. Johnson stressed that the release of the prisoners of war had created a most difficult situation for us and one that we could not possibly have wanted to create ourselves. He pointed out that the Unified Command has made every effort to observe the rules of the Geneva Convention in treatment of the prisoners and that this policy was in direct contrast to the course of the North Korean Government which had openly freed ROK prisoners and immediately forced them into the North Korean armies.
Mr. Singh declared that the Chinese also had noted a statement by President Rhee that some UN spokesmen (other than South Koreans) had voiced approval of the prisoner releases. Mr. Johnson referred to the statement of General Mark Clark which had appeared in the morning papers positively denying the complicity of the Unified Command in the release of the prisoners. Mr. Johnson stated that he did not know of any one on the UN side who had endorsed the release of the prisoners and to whom Rhee might have been referring.
As to the possibility of any of the released prisoners being enlisted in the Republic of Korea forces, Mr. Johnson said that he very strongly doubted that this was taking place. He emphasized that manpower was not a problem for the Republic of Korea and thus that there would be [Page 1236] no compelling reason for the released prisoners to be drafted into the ROK army.
Mr. Singh inquired as to whether the UN command would have any direct control over the recruiting, enlistment, etc., for the ROK army. Mr. Johnson replied that the control over such matters lay with the ROK forces themselves and that UN control did not become effective until units were organized and ready to be used in battle positions. Mr. Johnson pointed out the difficulties of rounding up the escaped prisoners since there was obviously very little means of differentiating them from the populace of South Korea.
- This memorandum of conversation was drafted by Nicholas G. Thacher of SOA.↩