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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIX, Part 1, Korea
  4. Document 109

109. Memorandum From the Representative to the United Nations (Goldberg) to President Johnson 1

New York, undated.

SUBJECT

  • Report on First Leg of Asian Trip

Because of my responsibilities in connection with the Outer Space Treaty, I was able to visit only five countries on the first leg of the trip to Asia and to spend a shorter time in each one than I would have desired: one day each in Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, two and a half days in Japan, and three days in South Vietnam.

IV. Korea

In Korea, I talked to both the President and the Prime Minister with candor about the difficulties of preventing some action within the UN which would denigrate Korea’s standing in the international community; I noted that composition of the UN is far different now than it was in the 1950’s; that many Afro-Asians were inclined to avoid taking sides in disputes they see as US-Soviet “cold war” disputes; that others are tempted to side with North Korea to encourage its continued movement away from Peking toward Moscow; and, finally, that our intimate connection with Korea can mean that African dissatisfaction with the US on issues vital to them, but quite extraneous to the Korean problem, can adversely affect African support of the joint US-Korean position on the Korean problem.

I believe this explanation, plus assurances I gave that US is not prepared to sacrifice Korean interests in the UN or elsewhere for the sake of getting along with the Soviets, has helped to dispel suspicion among the Koreans that our doubts about continuing with the same tactics on the Korean question in the UN may stem from a desire to reach a detente with the Soviets and a willingness to sacrifice Korean interests in the process.

  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Secretary’s Miscellaneous Correspondence. Secret. Attached to a March 9 letter from Goldberg to Rusk transmitting the memorandum as a supplement to Goldberg’s “oral report to the President on my trip to Asia” and noting that he “restricted its distribution because of its sensitive nature to the President” and to Rusk.↩