162. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon 1

SUBJECT

  • South Korean President to Announce Imposition of Martial Law October 17

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Chong-pil informed Ambassador Habib the evening of October 16 that on October 17 at 7:00 p.m. (6:00 a.m. the same day Washington time) martial law would be imposed throughout the country.2 In addition,

  • —The National Assembly (the legislature) will be dissolved.
  • —All political activity will be suspended, all colleges and universities will be closed, and prior censorship will be imposed on all media.
  • —The Presidential proclamation (of which Ambassador Habib was given a draft) will justify his actions partly in terms of international [Page 419] instability brought on, in part, by your China initiative, and Japan’s recent normalization of relations with the PRC.

On October 27, President Park will proclaim amendments to the Constitution, which will be submitted to a popular referendum on about November 17, after which—assuming approval—martial law will be lifted. The Government will present the case for the amendments to the people, and no public expression of contrary views will be permitted. If the amendments are rejected, the Government will interpret this as disapproval of its dialogue with North Korea. The amendments will provide:

  • —A new Presidential election on about December 17, to be conducted through an “electoral college” which will be indirectly elected—and hence easier to control—in contrast to the present direct election for President. [Park was elected to a third four-year term in April 1971.]3
  • —A new National Assembly election within roughly the next half year. [The present National Assembly was elected in May 1971 for a four-year term.]The new Assembly will have one-third of its members nominated by the President to provide a “stable majority” in the legislature. Both the National Assembly and the President will be elected for six-year terms, with a maximum of two terms permitted. Political activity will be allowed after the referendum, but political parties will not be allowed to campaign. Prime Minister Kim acknowledged that the amending process will be carried on outside the processes provided under the present Constitution.

In the meantime, talks with North Korea will proceed.

Comment:

  • —We have had no warning of this move, although we have long known that Park was considering whether he should retain power beyond 1975. He now stands to stay on for at least 12 more years.
  • Park’s action is unnecessary in terms of domestic political stability. However, we would not succeed in trying to turn it back, according to Embassy Seoul.
  • Park’s move is not simply an attempt to perpetuate himself in power beyond 1975—though this is probably a major reason. Park has probably also convinced himself that he needs greater control at home in order to cope with unforeseen contingencies that will be produced by the new, more fluid international context in which South Korea is now operating.
  • Park has, at least in the short term, sacrificed a part of the political advantage he recently gained over the North—with no immediately apparent compensating gain for himself.
  • Park, in his timing of his action, may want to avoid an appearance of an act of desperation that it might have if he waited until closer to 1975. In this respect, his action parallels that of Philippine President Marcos, but in other respects diverges from that of Marcos—Park has much less in his domestic situation to justify his action.

State is calling in the Korean Ambassador here this afternoon 4 to express our concern, particularly over references in the proclamation such as the alleged unsettling effect of your China initiative as justifying Park’s action; this may cause these offensive clauses to be removed. Publicly, we plan to be neutral, while disassociating ourselves from Park’s action.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 543, Country Files, Far East, Korea, Vol. V, 1 Jan–31 Dec 1972, Part 2. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. Haig initialed for Kissinger. A notation on the memorandum indicates Nixon saw it.
  2. See Document 160.
  3. All brackets are in the original.
  4. Rogers met with Kim on October 16; see Document 161.