Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Japan; Korea, Volume XVIII

213. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs (Parsons) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Jones)⁰

Washington, February 8, 1958.¹

SUBJECT

• Alleged North Korean Proposals for the Settlement of the Korean Problem

At its meeting on February 5, 1958, the north Korean government adopted a statement,² proposed by premier Kim Il-song, on the peaceful unification of Korea. In addition to the release of the statement at Pyongyang, the north Korean ambassadors at Moscow and Peiping discussed the statement during press conferences. The statement makes four proposals:

1. United States and all foreign troops, including Chinese Communist, should withdraw simultaneously from north and south Korea;

2. A free all-Korea election should be held, following withdrawal of all foreign troops, under neutral nation supervision with democratic rights and freedom of activity guaranteed for all political parties and social organizations;

3. Early negotiations between north and south Korea, on a basis of equality, regarding election, economic and cultural contacts, and freedom or movement;

4. Reduction to minimum of north and south Korean armed forces.

The north Korean proposal was endorsed by the Chinese Communists in an official statement which also announced that they were prepared to discuss with the north Koreans the withdrawal of “Chinese People’s Volunteers” from north Korea. The Chinese Communist statement also called on the Governments of the Unites States and of the other countries participating in the United Nations forces to take measures to withdraw their forces from south Korea.

Press reports indicate that the Chinese Communists have made these proposals formally to the governments represented on the United Nations Command in a note³ presented to the British Chargé at Peiping for transmittal to the governments concerned. A check with the British Embassy here on February 8 did not confirm this fact, however.

On April 9, 1956, the Chinese Communists made proposals⁴ through the British Chargé at Peiping regarding the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, the withdrawal of foreign troops and a political conference. The Chinese Communist note was considered in Washington by representatives of the Sixteen and a reply⁵ was transmitted to the Chinese Communists through the British Chargé at Peiping on May 28, 1956. In the reply, the Governments of the United Nations Command stated that they were not aware of any change in the position of the Chinese Communist or north Korean regimes which would render a conference fruitful. The reply concluded that until the Chinese Communist-north Korean side is prepared to negotiate sincerely on the basis of United Nations objectives, the Governments of the United Nations Command believed that another conference would only bring about a repetition of the deadlock which resulted at Geneva in 1954.

The Communist proposals of February 5, 1958, do not differ in any essential respect from those put forward by the Communists at Geneva in 1954. These proposals, in one form or another, including or excluding certain previous or new points, have been repeated on several occasions by the Communists in public statements, the Military Armistice Commission and the United Nations. One standard feature of the Communist position, however, the convocation of an international conference of the governments concerned, is omitted from the proposals of February 5, 1958.

Both the north Korean and Chinese Communist statements claim that the Communists have supported peaceful unification whereas the United States and the south Korean authorities have opposed it. Attention is drawn to the introduction of atomic weapons to south Korea. The United States “occupation” of south Korea is cited by the north Koreans as the “fundamental reason” why unification has not been achieved.

The Chinese Communists also attack the United States as the “aggressor” in the Korean war.

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/2–858. Confidential. Drafted by Barbis.
1. Although the memorandum is dated February 8, it bears a drafting date of February 10.
2. Not found in Department of State files. According to telegram 1370 from Moscow, February 6, the text of the North Korean proposal was printed in the Soviet Government press on February 6. (Department of State, Central Files, 795A.00/2–658)
3. Dated February 7 and transmitted to the Department of State on February 10 under cover of a note from the British Embassy. (Ibid., 795.00/2–1058) See Supplement.
4. For text, see Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, vol. XXIII, Part 2, the attachment to a memorandum of conversation, pp. 240–243.
5. For text, see ibid., pp. 273–274.