Office of the Historian

275. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs (Bane) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)0

Washington, May 20, 1959.

SUBJECT

  • Regulation of Political Parties in the Republic of Korea

Embassy Seoul has informed us (Tab A)1 that the ROK Office of Public Information (OPI) on May 19 sent a memorandum to the opposition Democratic Party (DP), outlining certain requirements under U.S. Military Government Ordinance No. 55 (Tab B)2 governing the regulation of political parties. Presumably, a similar memorandum was also sent to the Liberal Party. According to press reports available to Embassy Seoul, the memorandum detailed such requirements as a report to the OPI ten days in advance of the intention to hold a rally or other “political gathering”, a report of the “results” within five days, a report on the location of all party branch offices, submission of personal histories of party officers, submission of a journal of meetings and a list of party members, a report on sources of income and expenditures, and submission of quarterly reports on party activities and “future plans”.

Embassy Seoul points out that certain of these requirements had already been stipulated under the U.S. Military Government Ordinance but that, according to a DP member, the reporting requirements have never been enforced and, since its inauguration, the DP has never complied with regulations regarding submission of reports. The Embassy notes that the requirements for advance notice and subsequent reports on party meetings, and quarterly reports on party activities and future plans, however, are not stipulated in the original ordinance. These additional [Page 555] requirements apparently have been instituted in accordance with a section of the ordinance under which the OPI may issue “additional regulations governing political parties”.

The Embassy comments that it is unlikely that the Government will attempt to dissolve the DP but that strict enforcement of the regulations, however, could provide the Government with a strong weapon for harrassing the opposition and a means to intimidate persons now affiliated with or sympathetic to the DP.

Coming on the heels of the closing of the Kyonghyang Sinmun,3 it is highly likely that this latest move by the Korean Government will attract widespread critical press attention and may be used in some quarters to attempt to justify the allegation made in connection with the December 24, 1958, incident that the Government was moving to suppress the political opposition in anticipation of the 1960 Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections. AP has already filed a ticker from Seoul on this subject (Tab C),4 playing the theme that, “The Government warned political parties today that they will be outlawed if they fail to submit reports to the Government on political activities”. Although we, of course, do not know what action the Government may or may not take under these regulations, we are concerned not only with the possibility of critical press reaction with its attendant problems but with the fact that the Korean Government has seen fit to issue this memorandum to the DP as the 1960 Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections approach.

We consider that it would be highly inappropriate for us to comment publicly upon this latest action of the Korean Government and, in view of the clearly domestic nature of the issue involved, we do not believe that you would wish to call Ambassador Yang in and discuss this matter officially with him. We do believe it highly desirable, however, that at the first opportunity you raise this subject informally with Ambassador Yang and express our serious concern the possible repercussions that this action may entail.

Recommendation:5

That you bring this matter to the attention of Ambassador Yang along the lines indicated.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/5–2059. Confidential. Drafted by Lane and approved by J. Graham Parsons.↩
  2. Telegram 646 from Seoul, May 20, not found attached. (ibid.) See Supplement.↩
  3. Not found attached.↩
  4. On April 30, the Director of Public Information, Chon Song-ch’on, cancelled the publishing license of Korea’s second largest daily newspaper, Kyonghyang Sinmun. The paper was closely identified with the Democratic Party. (Despatch 712 from Seoul, June 9; Department of State, Central Files, 795B.00/6–959) See Supplement.↩
  5. Filed on May 19, not found attached.↩
  6. Robertson drew a line from the approved line to a handwritten note that reads: “Very disturbing–I will try to find an opportunity to discuss matter with Amb Yang this evening–(5/20/59)”.↩