Office of the Historian

314. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State0

Seoul, April 30, 1960, 11 p.m.

1028. CINCPAC for POLAD. Department will of course appreciate that events have overtaken Embtels 869,1 870 and 8712 all of April 17 presenting this Embassy’s recommendations on policy actions designed to reverse trends in Korea which endangered US national interests. Those messages have been invalidated in significant degree by subsequent dramatic turn of events. In fact, Embtels 870 and 871 had to be recast several times during first half of April to adjust to rapidly moving developments and even when submitted as promised in mid-April were out of date by April 19. Embtel 7423 and Deptel 7244 setting forth problem as well as Embtel 7945 and Deptel 7846 agreeing on precepts and principles for US actions deemed valid throughout and have been useful guidance.

Against background of various Department instructions, Embassy in close cooperation with US military and USOM, now concentrating on dealing with various critical problem areas such as: (1) helping improve and promote Korea’s international position; (2) encouraging political stability while carrying through on needed constitutional reforms; (3) encouraging moderate influences in government while discouraging further resort to demonstrations and violence; (4) assisting [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] in transforming discredited, hated police force into a non-political, efficient, respected organization; (5) strengthening capabilities for handling severe disturbances in politically acceptable ways; and (6) reviewing economic assistance programs to ensure fullest and most effective use of economic aid, including additional [Page 653] procedures to assure aid fund utilization will be free from political influence.7

McConaughy
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.95B/4–3060. Secret; Priority. Repeated to CINCPAC.↩
  2. Document 297.↩
  3. See footnote 5, Document 297.↩
  4. Document 292.↩
  5. See footnote 2, Document 292.↩
  6. Document 294.↩
  7. See footnote 3, Document 294.↩
  8. Telegram 1024 from Seoul, April 30, transmitted the text of a joint statement issued by Foreign Minister Huh and Ambassador McConaughy on April 29 that confirmed that the work of the Combined Economic Board would be resumed, permitting resumption of action to implement the United States aid program for Korea. At the same time, it was agreed that a joint review of aid procedures would be undertaken to ensure that all aid funds were used to the fullest effect and that none of the funds were utilized for partisan political advantage. (Department of State, Central Files, 795B.5–MSP/4–3060) See Supplement.↩