32. Editorial Note
On January 26, 1965, the Korean National Assembly approved sending additional military personnel to Vietnam after contentious opposition by members of the Civil Rule Party and the Democratic Party. The Civil Rule Party, led by Yun Po-sun, distrusted the Pak [Page 60] regime and feared that the dispatch of more troops would leave South Korea vulnerable to North Korean subversion by weakening its defenses. Both opposition parties also criticized the Minister of Defense for making conflicting statements regarding the impetus behind the proposal, at times claiming that the Korean Government initiated the proposal to send troops to Vietnam, at others referring to a request from the Republic of Vietnam or from the United States. A Civil Rule Party member also privately informed the Embassy that because of “cuts in US foreign aid program it is doubtful USG really intends to persevere in Vietnamese war and that it is difficult to understand why ROK should send troops to become involved in situation which appears hopeless.” (Telegram 647 from Seoul, January 21; National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 27 VIET S; and telegrams 656 and 657, both from Seoul, January 22; ibid., DEF 19–2 KOR S-VIET S
When the proposal came before the Assembly for a vote, its passage was complicated by the Assembly’s decision to vote by secret ballot. That decision prompted Yun Po-sun and 23 other members of the Civil Rule Party to walk out in protest. The dispatch of troops was approved by an overwhelming majority of the remaining members, all representing the ruling Democratic Republican Party. (Telegram 670 from Seoul, January 26; ibid.) Afterward President Pak issued a statement praising the results of the vote and characterizing it “as a signal for Korea to ‘to assume important role in world affairs.’” The opposition Civil Rule Party and Democratic Party accepted the outcome and hoped that the Korean troops would contribute to uniting the nations of the free world and to bringing peace and stability to the region. (Telegram 678 from Seoul, January 27; ibid.)
After the National Assembly approved the dispatch of additional troops, the Korean and United States Governments concentrated on the issue of the rate and method to be used to pay allowances to the Korean military personnel serving in Vietnam. In late February the United States acceded to a Korean demand for payment to be made to the Korean Government with an unvouchered cash grant to be disbursed in dollars to Korean troops. Although the United States urged that payment be limited to an allowance of one dollar per day per man, the Koreans rejected that amount as conflicting with previous promises made to the troops and as inappropriate for higher-ranking men and officers. (Telegram 768 to Seoul, February 18; ibid., DEF 19 US–KOR S) Korean officials agreed with the United States request to do everything possible to prevent disclosing that funding originated in the United States. The United States also agreed to assume all costs for the medical and tae-kwon-do units already in Vietnam. (Telegram 799 to Seoul, February 27; ibid., POL 27–3 VIET S) Additional documentation [Page 61] on the development of this issue is ibid.; DEF 19 KOR S-US; DEF 19 US–KOR S; and DEF 19 KOR S-VIET S.
The first of these troops, an advance party of approximately 600 men, arrived in Saigon on February 25. The remaining 1,400 troops were to arrive within the next month. (Telegram 2775 from Saigon, February 26; ibid., AID (KOR S) VIET S)