Memorandum with Attachment

FOREIGN SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Action Assigned to 17 SECURITY SECRET PRIORITY: AIR POUCH For Dept. Action Taken R MARCH TO Department of State Nikhed E 27 D FROM AMEMBASSY PUSAN 124 March 17, 1951 795.00/3-1751 Date of Action an 13,19 REF EMBTEL 797, March 12, 1951 Action Office NA SUBJECT ROK VIEWS CONCERNING 38th PARALLEL Name of Officer Direction to DC/R The OLI As indicated in the Embassy's tolegram under reference, the E expected Korean reaction to General MacArthur's statement concerning the IE likelihood of a "theoretical stalemate" was slow in materializing. Now, UNA however, there are positive indications that General MacArthur's state- USUN ment did not go unheeded and that its possible implications have been P oause for considerable alarm among the Koreans. Needless to say, General Ridgway's press conference of March 12, in which he declared p that it would be a "tremendous victory for the United Nations" even if the Korean war should end at the 38th Parallel, has done nothing to 22957 allay Korean fears concerning the intentions of the United States. Enclosed herewith is a copy of a press release issued in English on March 15, 1951, by the Korean Office of Public Information, quoting at length the views of the Defense Minister on the necessity of dis- regarding the 38th Parallel and pushing the enemy beyond the Yalu River. The statement is known to have been prepared in the President's office as a result of General MacArthur's "theoretical stalemate" comments. From the known sequence of events it appears likely that the prepared statement was being discussed in a meeting of the State Council at President Rhee's residence on the morning of March 13 when news of General Ridgway's press conference remarks reached the Koreans, and that the President became so perturbed that he immediately sent Clarence RYEE, Director of the Office of Public Information, to call on me. Clarence RYEE arrived at my desk while the Council meeting was still in session, bringing with him both the draft of the prepared state- ment and the text of the UP Peter KALISCHER release concerning General Ridgway's press conference. I emphatically pointed out to him that it was time for all Koreans to stop getting agitated every time anyone mentioned the 38th Parallel and that this would be a good time for all of them to re-read the United Nations' resolutions passed since June 25. In this connection I mentioned that the all-i ortant issue and the United Nations' commitment is to stop aggression. The United Nations policy is still aimed at a united, independent, democratic Korea, but there is no commitment anywhere that I know of requiring the United Nations or the United States to bring in any amount of force that may be needed to unify Korea. I went on to state that the Koreans simply Meatherby:der 3/17/51 DECLASSIFIED S-B-O-R-B-1 MAR 8 1951 Authority FRUS VUL By DEB NLT 244-246 Date 2-27-8 ACTION COPY - DEPARTMENT OF STATE The action office must return this permanent record copy to DC/R files with an endorsement of action