Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969–1972

126. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers¹

Washington, February 16, 1972.

SUBJECT

• ROK Forces in South Vietnam

The ROK aide mémoire of February 4 on the subject of ROK forces in South Vietnam² raises issues which may eventually require the President’s decision. Since the ROK has indicated that it plans to begin withdrawing its two remaining divisions in May 1972 unless it receives adequate assurances of logistical support and equipment, the President considers it essential that a review of ROK requirements and issues for U.S. decision be undertaken promptly.

The President therefore has requested that the NSC Undersecretaries Committee prepare for his consideration a report on the status of ROK/GVN/U.S. negotiations concerning the continued presence of ROK forces in South Vietnam. The report should include an evaluation of the importance of ROK forces to GVN military posture and to the success of the Vietnamization program, the military justification for and assessment of the costs to the U.S. of the ROK support and equipment requests, and alternate courses of action available to the U.S. with a view to maximizing ROK presence in South Vietnam.

The report should be submitted no later than March 3, 1972, for the President’s consideration. In the interim the President has directed that no steps should be taken vis-à-vis the ROK which could adversely affect its willingness to retain two full divisions in South Vietnam through at least CY 1972.³

Henry A. Kissinger

1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files:FRC 330 75 0155, Korea, 000.1 1972. Top Secret. Copies were sent to Laird and Helms.
2. See Document 124.
3. On February 23, Froebe sent Haig a memorandum, concurred in by Kennedy and Negroponte and initialed by Kissinger, on the status of the Under Secretaries Committee report. Froebe explained that the USC would explore an alternative of “linking, though not necessarily explicitly, the two Korean divisions’ continued presence in Vietnam with our one division’s continued presence in South Korea.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 543, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. V, 1 Jan–31 Dec 1972, Part 2)