DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: June 20, 1951
SUBJECT: Attendance of the Korean Ambassador at the Periodic FE Briefings for Ambassadors of UN Countries having Forces in Korea.
PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Yu Chan YANG, Korean Ambassador Mr. Pyo Wook Han, First Secretary, Korean Embassy Mr. Dean Acheson, Secretary of State Mr. Arthur B. Emmons, 3rd., Officer in Charge, Korean Affairs
COPIES TO: FE NA S/S RE
The Korean Ambassador, Dr. Yu Chan Yang, called on the Secretary at 12:30 p.m. today by prior appointment. Dr. Yang opened the conversation by expressing the deep appreciation of his Government for the leading part played by the Secretary in the provision of immediate assistance to the Republic of Korea following the outbreak of hostilities on June 25, 1950. He explained that the recent Congressional hearings on American foreign policy had even more clearly revealed the outstanding influence which Mr. Acheson had exercised in this respect. The Secretary replied that it was the President of the United States who should receive the principal credit for his leadership in providing military aid to Korea but that he, the Secretary, had, of course, given this policy his whole-hearted support.
Dr. Yang then explained that the principal reason for his desire to see the Secretary this morning had been to express his pre-occupation, and that of his Government, over the fact that no Korean representative had been invited to attend the periodic briefings in FE of the Ambassadors of those countries contributing forces to the United Nations action in Korea. The Ambassador mentioned that he had just been questioned on this point by a newspaper friend, who had expressed incredulity over the fact that no Korean representative attended these meetings.
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Dr. Yang referred to the uneasiness of the Korean people as to their future and their anxiety with regard to current public talk of peace proposals. He pointed out that reports concerning cease-fire proposals and a possible settlement of the Korean problem were inevitably linked, in the minds of the Koreans and of the public in general, with the discussions that took place among United Nations representatives behind closed doors in the briefing meetings. A natural suspicion had therefore arisen that decisions might be reached in these meetings which would deeply affect the future of Korea and upon which the Koreans were not being consulted. The Ambassador believed that these suspicions in a large measure could be allayed and great benefit to Korean psychology and morale derived were he permitted to attend the briefings.
The Ambassador continued by mentioning a suggestion, made to him by Mr. Rusk, that he should endeavor to "educate" to a better understanding of his country those among his diplomatic colleagues representing nations which are supporting the United Nations action. He said that he was about to begin such a program and that he also was initiating a series of broadcasts over theVoice of America with the same objectives in mind. Dr. Yang was of the opinion that the briefing meetings would provide a further valuable opportunity to express the Korean point of view to his diplomatic colleagues among the United Nations members.
As a further point, the Ambassador stated that, whereas the Korean people understood that it was Soviet Russia which had blocked the admission of Korea into the United Nations, it now could be made to appear that the United States was excluding Korea, which now at least had an observer at the United Nations, from United Nations discussions on the future of Korea which took place in the Departmental meetings. He added that if invited to attend these meetings he would, of course, hold himself responsible that matters discussed therein should not be revealed by him. The Ambassador urgently requested the Secretary to give all possible consideration to his request.
The Secretary replied that it was, of course, well known that the United States has strongly supported Korean membership in the United Nations. He believed, moreover, that the briefing meetings to which the Ambassador referred were perhaps being given undue importance in the public mind. Mr. Acheson pointed out, however, that these periodic briefings had been conceived as a means of keeping the various United Nations governments having forces in Korea informed as to the progress of the military campaign and that, of course, the Korean Government, by virtue of its close contact with the Unified Command on the scene, was much better informed as to military developments than were any of the governments represented at the briefings. The Secretary stated,
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however, that he had already discussed the Ambassador's request with Mr. Rusk and that the matter is continuing under active consideration in the Department.
The Ambassador again urged the Secretary to give all possible consideration to his request and hoped that a favorable reply would be forthcoming.
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