Office of the Historian

243. National Security Decision Memorandum 227, Washington, July 27, 1973.1 2

Washington, July 27, 1973

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506

July 27, 1973

National Security Decision Memorandum 227

TO: The Secretary of State
The Secretary of Defense

SUBJECT: Korean Force Modernization Plan

The President has reviewed the Under Secretaries’ memorandum on Re-examination of the Korean Force Modernization Plan and has decided:

  • — Air defense should be emphasized in modernizing ROK forces in order to assist the ROK in moving toward combat self-sufficiency for defense against the North Korean threat.
  • — Modernization of ROK divisions beyond the 16 active and three ready reserve divisions recommended in the military study should receive low priority but the ROK should not be told the U.S. will not support modernization of additional divisions.
  • — NSDM 129 continues in effect but no termination date should be established for grant MAP assistance.
  • — Planning for grant MAP and requests to Congress should not be precipitously reduced nor should assistance be switched rapidly to FMS (Option Two of the Steering Group’s Report is approved).
  • — Before high performance aircraft beyond replacement aircraft in the original modernization plan are funded, a complete review of the threat and air defense requirement should be undertaken and recommendations submitted to the President.

[Page 2]

Subject to the foregoing the recommendations of the Under Secretaries’ Committee are approved and the Korean Force Requirements Study should be the general basis for military assistance planning.

[signed]
Henry A. Kissinger

cc: The Director, Office of Management and Budget
The Acting Director of Central Intelligence
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–241, NSDMs, NSDM 227, Folder 6. Secret. Copies were sent to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of Central Intelligence, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.↩
  2. Kissinger issued NSDM 227 concerning the Korean Force Modernization Plan.↩