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United States Efforts to Unite Korea
It should, of course, be thoroughly understood that the division
of Korea and the movement of United States forces into Korea was never in-
tended to be for a long-term occupation. This was a development which re-
sulted from the persistent refusal of the USSR to agree to the establish-
ment of a united and independent Korea upon terms which would do justice
to the aspirations of the Korean people for freedom and national inde-
pendence.
At the Cairo Conference, in December 1943, the United States,
Great Britain and China had declared that, after Japan had been defeated,
all Korea would become a single Republic. This was reaffirmed at the
Potsdam Conference, in July 1945. The Soviets joined in that pledge.
From the first days after the acceptance of Japanese surrender, the
United States endeavored to obtain agreement of fulfillment by the USSR
of its pledge. The Soviets on their part refused to deal with any non-
Communist Korean groups and rejected every reasonable proposal advanced.
At the same time, they engaged in an ever-increasing campaign of anti-
American propaganda and vilification and commenced to create Communist
controlled military forces in North Korea. In view of this stalemate,
it was concluded that the justified desire of the Korean people for in-
dependence and unity entitled them to have the aid of the world community
RECORDS
in getting it. Therefore, the United States took the Korean problem to
=
SERVICER
the United Nations in November of 1947, asking that Korea be established
as a unified nation through election of a provisional government which
would draw up a constitution. The Korean issue was handled before the
General Assembly by Mr. John Foster Dulles, a member of the U. S. Dele-
gation. The proposal was approved by a vote of 43-0, with Russia and
her satellites abstaining.
The election was observed by a United Nations Commission but
was confined to south Korea because the puppet communist officials of
North Korea refused to let the United Nations Commission travel north
of the 38th parallel. More than 95% of the eligible voters of South
Korea participated in the election in spite of communist terrorism that
left nearly 100 Koreans dead during the election.
The National Assembly of the democratic Republic of Korea
adopted its constitution on July 12, 1948. The constitution promised
the Korean people "security, liberty, and happiness" and provided for
democratic government. This constitution only affected the two-thirds
of the population living south of the 38th parallel. One hundred seats
in the legislature of the Republic were left vacant for representatives
of the people in Northern Korea. The Republic of Korea was inaugurated
August 15, 1948.
Meanwhile, the Soviet controlled North Korean regime announced
that a constitution for the "Korean Democratic People's Republic" had
been adopted and that elections would be held in August of 1948 to elect
representatives. The communist North Korean government pretended to
hold a "nation-wide" election with "secret" ballots being cast in South
Korea.
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"ocrText": "- 5 -\nUnited States Efforts to Unite Korea\nIt should, of course, be thoroughly understood that the division\nof Korea and the movement of United States forces into Korea was never in-\ntended to be for a long-term occupation. This was a development which re-\nsulted from the persistent refusal of the USSR to agree to the establish-\nment of a united and independent Korea upon terms which would do justice\nto the aspirations of the Korean people for freedom and national inde-\npendence.\nAt the Cairo Conference, in December 1943, the United States,\nGreat Britain and China had declared that, after Japan had been defeated,\nall Korea would become a single Republic. This was reaffirmed at the\nPotsdam Conference, in July 1945. The Soviets joined in that pledge.\nFrom the first days after the acceptance of Japanese surrender, the\nUnited States endeavored to obtain agreement of fulfillment by the USSR\nof its pledge. The Soviets on their part refused to deal with any non-\nCommunist Korean groups and rejected every reasonable proposal advanced.\nAt the same time, they engaged in an ever-increasing campaign of anti-\nAmerican propaganda and vilification and commenced to create Communist\ncontrolled military forces in North Korea. In view of this stalemate,\nit was concluded that the justified desire of the Korean people for in-\ndependence and unity entitled them to have the aid of the world community\nRECORDS\nin getting it. Therefore, the United States took the Korean problem to\n=\nSERVICER\nthe United Nations in November of 1947, asking that Korea be established\nas a unified nation through election of a provisional government which\nwould draw up a constitution. The Korean issue was handled before the\nGeneral Assembly by Mr. John Foster Dulles, a member of the U. S. Dele-\ngation. The proposal was approved by a vote of 43-0, with Russia and\nher satellites abstaining.\nThe election was observed by a United Nations Commission but\nwas confined to south Korea because the puppet communist officials of\nNorth Korea refused to let the United Nations Commission travel north\nof the 38th parallel. More than 95% of the eligible voters of South\nKorea participated in the election in spite of communist terrorism that\nleft nearly 100 Koreans dead during the election.\nThe National Assembly of the democratic Republic of Korea\nadopted its constitution on July 12, 1948. The constitution promised\nthe Korean people \"security, liberty, and happiness\" and provided for\ndemocratic government. This constitution only affected the two-thirds\nof the population living south of the 38th parallel. One hundred seats\nin the legislature of the Republic were left vacant for representatives\nof the people in Northern Korea. The Republic of Korea was inaugurated\nAugust 15, 1948.\nMeanwhile, the Soviet controlled North Korean regime announced\nthat a constitution for the \"Korean Democratic People's Republic\" had\nbeen adopted and that elections would be held in August of 1948 to elect\nrepresentatives. The communist North Korean government pretended to\nhold a \"nation-wide\" election with \"secret\" ballots being cast in South\nKorea."
}