611.95B/10–1954: Telegram
The Ambassador in Korea (Briggs) to the Department of State
priority
460. Repeated information Tokyo 305. Tokyo pass CINCUNC. Reference Embtel 455.1 Seeking to salvage whatever we can out of unfortunate AP despatch, I have this afternoon sent following personal letter to President Rhee. (This intended to cover matters raised in Deptel 256 [Page 1898] October 6 [5]2 as well as to reiterate points made September 27 pursuant Deptel 2263 regarding ROK anti-American campaign.)
“My Dear Mr. President: On my return from a visit to Tokyo to consult with General Hull on various Korean matters, I was distressed to observe a newspaper despatch originating in Seoul on October 17, attributing certain statements to an unnamed ‘American diplomat’ with reference to the present state of the relations between our two governments. I deplore the attribution of a statement of this character to an American official and, following investigation, I wish to assure you that no such statement had been authorized by any American diplomatic official in Korea.
“While on this subject, however, I am impelled in all friendship to refer to our meeting on September 27 last, during which, under specific instructions from my government, I took occasion to bring to your attention the public campaign on which the Korean Government had apparently embarked with reference to United States Government policy and objectives in Korea, including statements by highly placed officials of the Korean Government, as well as officially inspired editorials and cartoons. I mentioned to you, likewise pursuant to my instructions, that if this Korean Government campaign continued it could scarcely fail to affect relations between our two governments, which it is the desire of the American Government to be close, friendly and mutually beneficial.
“Thus while I reiterate that I do not view with anything except sincere regret and certainly cannot condone a newspaper article of the character described at the outset of this letter, nevertheless I should be less than frank were I not to view the unfortunate press despatch in question in the context of the continuing statements concerning the United States made by officials of the Government of the Republic of Korea, as well as in connection with the observations on that subject which I had the honor to make on the occasion of our September 27 meeting.
“I am, my dear Mr. President, with highest esteem and regard, Faithfully yours,”
- In this telegram, Oct. 19, Briggs reported that the AP story referred to in telegram 460 was a composite of views generally held by Americans in Seoul which was attributed without authorization to a single “American diplomatic official”. (895B. 131/10–1954)↩
- Not printed, but see footnote 2, supra.↩
- Not printed, but a summary of its main points was contained in telegram 362 from Seoul, Sept. 27, p. 1888.↩