Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Korea, Volume XV, Part 2

FE files, lot 55 D 338, “Korean Political Conference, June 1953”

The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Clark) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff

top secret

Seoul, June 28, 1953—11:28 p.m.

Unnumbered 281528Z. This is a joint message for State and Defense (JCS) from Robertson and Clark.

1. In joint conference with Rhee afternoon 27 June, we presented answers given in Departmental telegram nr 19¹ to the four questions raised by him in first conference with Robertson. As reported in Embassy telegram nr 28,² Rhee has stated that if these questions could be satisfactorily resolved he would support an armistice. After presentation of your answers, Rhee remarked “Well, the President has met all of my views” and requested that we confirm our position in writing. Aide-mémoire confirming our answers, reported to you by Embassy telegram nr 31,³ was prepared and sent him for later discussion that afternoon.

2. When we saw Rhee, together with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, at 1839 hours, 27 June, prior to dinner, he seemed disturbed over our aide-mémoire, indicating that it did not fully express all the thoughts he had in mind. Our inquiries failed to reveal the nature of his misgivings but we were soon interrupted by the arrival of other dinner guests.

3. Rhee indicated he would give us a reply in writing 29 June. We indicated the delay as too lengthy and requested he clarify his misgivings earlier, preferably Sunday morning, 28 June.

4. Robertson had a conference alone with Rhee at 0930 hours, 28 June in which Rhee confirmed his contention that full understanding could be reached and that he would deliver his reply to our aide-mémoire in writing in time for examination by us for a further meeting with him that afternoon.

5. We waited all day for his reply and at 1810 hours, 28 June, Rhee replied in the form of an aide-mémoire which was delivered by messenger. It has been dispatched to you under DTG 281330Z.⁴ Reply was accompanied by a letter in longhand from Rhee apologizing for delay, giving as reason lack of secretarial help on Sunday to do the typing sooner and stating his readiness to “talk it over” upon notice.

6. Our comments follow:

a. Dilatory character of his reply is obvious.

b. The aide-mémoire does not represent the understanding reached between Rhee and Robertson.

c. It is our considered opinion that we have made the maximum effort possible at this stage to enlist Rhee’s cooperation in the implementation of an armistice. Rhee is apparently still convinced that we will not withdraw from Korea. Since we are not yet prepared to implement a threat of withdrawal the only chance of obtaining Rhee’s cooperation depends upon convincing him that we have gone as far as we can go toward meeting his position and that we are proceeding with the conclusion of the armistice along lines presently contemplated.

d. Our thinking as to desirability of obtaining an armistice at as early a date as Commies will agree is confirmed by his latest aide-mémoire with its injection of extraneous matters not previously discussed with Robertson with apparent view of prolonging negotiations.

e. We invite your attention to the fact that while Rhee has been deliberately impeding the conclusion of an armistice for reasons best known to himself, the UNC has suffered during the past 20 days approximately 17,000 battle casualties, of which 3,333 were killed and almost 2,000 MIA, many of whom without doubt are dead.

f. A reply to the Commie letter of 20 June has been delayed too long. We are more than ever of the opinion previously stated that we should not delay longer but deliver to the Commies the letter furnished for your information in C 63348.⁵ Clark therefore intends, with Robertson’s complete concurrence, to have the letter delivered to the Commies, through liaison officers, on 29 June.

7. We intend to meet with Rhee morning 29 June at which time Clark proposes to inform Rhee pursuant to instructions contained in par 2, JCS 942368,⁶ that he intends to initiate action looking to the conclusion of an armistice.

8. Murphy, Briggs and Collins concur.

1. Dated June 26, p. 1277.
2. Dated June 26, p. 1276.
3. Supra.
4. Telegram DTG 281330Z is not printed; text of the aide-mémoire is infra.
5. Not printed. (Matthews files, lot 53 D 413) For a text of the letter as it was released on June 29, 1953, see Department of State Bulletin, July 13, 1953, pp. 46–47.
6. Dated June 25, p. 1271.