Office of the Historian

326. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State1

Seoul, December 17, 1968, 0816Z.

11824. Subject: Summary of 26th Closed Meeting at Panmunjom. Ref: Seoul 11816.2

1.
Meeting opened at 1100 hours local Dec 17 and concluded at 1342 local.3
2.
Gen Pak opened meeting by stating there was no alternative to signing NK document if crew to be released. Gen Woodward then made proposals (A) and (B) State 285426,4 saying that if proposal (B) preferred we would have to make statement on signing, Gen Pak then proposed recess which lasted fifty minutes.
3.
Following recess, Pak indicated NK acceptance proposal (B). Gen Woodward agreed to sign to right of signature block in accordance with Korean custom.
4.
General Pak then said that agreement in principle had been reached on signing and questions of procedure could be considered. Gen Woodward read statement he would make on signing in accordance with proposal (B). Pak made no comment.
5.
Gen Pak asked if we accepted the proposal on procedures which he had made previously. Gen Woodward in reply gave Pak our counter proposals (State 255214, State 268226).5 Pak did not comment. He seemed untroubled by our counter proposals with the exception our desire avoid two-hour time gap between actual signing and release of crew.
6.
General Woodward outlined administrative questions on which agreement would be needed such as handling of coffin and removal of NK road barrier in JSA. Gen Pak said he would comment on our counter proposals and on administrative questions at next meeting.
7.
General Woodward strongly urged that next meeting be held Dec 18. Pak did not agree and said he would let us know when he was ready. He appeared to understand urgency as well as need for secrecy which Gen Woodward emphasized.
8.
Charge will brief Prime Minister in strictest confidence as soon as possible on developments in view possibility NK side may not maintain secrecy. We do not propose to brief Foreign Ministry at this point and will refuse to comment in response to any other inquiries.
9.
Assume Dept will continue to refuse to indicate whether progress made or breakthrough near. If any other line contemplated please advise us immediately.
Lathram
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 33–6 KOR N–US. Secret; Immediate;Nodis; Cactus.↩
  2. Telegram 11816 from Seoul, December 17, informed the Department that Pak accepted proposal B. (Ibid.)↩
  3. Telegram 11830 from Seoul, December 17, transmitted the verbatim text of this meeting. (Ibid.)↩
  4. Document 325.↩
  5. See footnote 4, Document 320.↩