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

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

Seoul, November 24, 1972, 0905Z.

6782. Subj: Prime Minister’s Views on South-North Dialogue. Summary:Prime Minister Kim Chong Pil said government intends to move cautiously in South-North dialogue. Despite public emphasis on re-unification, government recognizes difficulty of reaching accommodation with North. Kim was quite critical of what he considered to be Yi Hu Rak’s undue haste in dealing with Pyongyang. End summary.

1. During a lengthy conversation with Prime Minister Kim Chong Pil covering a number of subjects, we discussed in some detail his views on the South-North dialogue. The Prime Minister said he was concerned that the government’s emphasis on reunification during the campaign for the referendum on the constitution had been carried too far. He foresaw great difficulties in dealing with North Korea. The differences between Seoul and Pyongyang were very great and would only be overcome with much time and great patience. President Park had come to this conclusion also and had expressed some reservations at the pace of developments in the dialogue.

2. Kim did not conceal his criticisms of Yi Hu Rak’s efforts. He said it appeared that because Yi Hu Rak was conducting negotiations his personal prestige was involved with showing progress at every stage. This had led him to conduct the negotiations with undue haste and without proper attention to matters which should have been approached with greater prudence. For example, at an early stage, Yi wished to have the coordinating committee include Cabinet members. This would have immediately moved the dialogue to a government-to-government level prematurely. The Prime Minister had objected and the President agreed this was not desirable. The Prime Minister said no one was quite sure of what Yi Hu Rak had committed himself to in discussions with the North Koreans. At one point it looked as if he was pushing for an early summit meeting, but the President would not go along. This was always a possibility but on the basis of his understanding of the President’s position there would be no meeting between Park and Kim Il Sung in the foreseeable future.

3. I asked Kim what progress he thought might be possible in the talks over the next year. He said that the talks would not be broken off and that the meetings of the delegations, both within the coordinating committee and the Red Cross frameworks, would in itself constitute progress. There might be some exchange of visits by particular groups in the cultural and sports fields, but that was not sure and it was even less probable that economic exchanges would be conducted within the next year.

4. Kim said he has discussed with President Park the possibility of reducing the level of leadership at the coordinating committee and of having someone other than Yi Hu Rak lead the South Korean delegation, just as Kim Yong Chu was replaced by an acting chairman of the North Korean delegation. I asked whether this would not be resented by the North Koreans and viewed as a downgrading of the significance of the meetings. Whereas they claim Kim Yong Chu was sick, no such claim could be made for Yi Hu Rak. He did not reply directly, but said it might be desirable to vary the leadership. In any event, he said, President Park has not yet made up his mind on this point.

5. Comment: The rivalry between Prime Minister Kim and Yi Hu Rak, of which we are aware, emerges quite clearly in this conversation. Comparing the Prime Minister’s remarks with those of Yi’s, as reported in Seoul’s 6729,² points up the different manner in which each of them presents their thoughts to us. Even where elements are overlapping in the two conversations they illustrate the differing points of view. There is no doubt that the Prime Minister as well as a number of other influential figures are convinced that Yi Hu Rak is dealing in a manner and at a pace which they find imprudent. The President’s views lie somewhere between and it is our impression that he is currently applying some brakes on Yi Hu Rak’s desire to push ahead rapidly.

Habib

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL KOR N–KOR S. Secret; Nodis.
2. In telegram 6729 from Seoul, November 22, Habib reported his meeting with Lee Hu Rak on November 20. Lee’s impression was that Kim Il Sung “was basically seeking a period of peaceful coexistence, a situation of no war.” Habib said that it seemed to him “that the ROKG had not yet succeeded in coordinating its South/North dialogue with its general foreign policy. Examples were its UN policy, the subject of South Korean and North Korean representation internationally, and the ROK position on Japan’s approach to North Korea. Lee admitted that coordination would have to take place.” When Lee implied that the ROK Government wanted to avoid discussion of the UN question with the North, Habib “expressed doubt that this would be possible as North Korea wants to get the UN out of South Korea.” (Ibid.)