Office of the Historian

107. National Security Decision Memorandum 1291

Washington, September 2, 1971.

TO

  • The Secretary of State
  • The Secretary of Defense

SUBJECT

  • ROK Force Structure and Modernization Program

The President has approved in principle the five-year Korea Modernization Program prepared by the Under Secretaries Committee.2 As recommended by the Under Secretaries Committee, the President authorizes:

1.
A military assistance and sales program totaling $1.5 billion in FY 71–75 comprised of a combination of grant military assistance (MAP), excess defense articles, and other U.S. military equipment transferred to the ROK at no cost.
2.
A maximum of $1.25 billion in new obligational authority (NOA), this amount to be reduced to the maximum extent possible through foreign millitary credit and cash sales, provision of excess defense articles, and other “no cost” U.S. equipment transfers.
3.
The annual review of the plans reflecting program changes, new cost factors, resource availabilities, and the situation as it evolves on the Korean peninsula.
4.
Program additions or changes shall be considered as offsets to the assistance levels contained within these ceilings unless specifically considered and approved by the President.

Further, the President directs that as set forth in NSDM 48,3 a five-year Korea memorandum should be developed covering all U.S. [Page 278] activities and programs related to Korea over the next five years and posing, where appropriate, alternative U.S. presence and assistance options. Among other problems, this memorandum should examine:

  • —The North Korean tactical air threat and the alternative ROK and U.S. forces required to cope with it.
  • —The alternative means of financing further improvements in the ROK air force within the existing modernization program outlined above.

Henry A. Kissinger
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 364, Subject Files, National Security Decision Memoranda, Nos. 97–144. Top Secret. Copies were sent to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.↩
  2. See Document 98.↩
  3. Document 56.↩