Telegram from Secretary of State Dean Acheson to American Embassy, Seoul

OUTGOING TELEGRAM Department of State INDICATE, COLLECT 01060 CHARGE TO SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION Classification SEOUL SENT TO Amembassy PUSAN PRIORITY 907 RECEIVED DC/ UNIT RPTD TO: Amembassy TOKYO PRIORITY 400 JUN 4 3 36 PM 52 Origin info: FOR MUCCIO. (Tokyo pass SO CINCUNC for info) FYI our desires and views with regard to internal situation in ROK remain much the same as when we met with you here. That is: (1) every means must be exhausted to obtain a resolution of this internal crisis by methods short of active military intervention. Undesirability Apart from question of do not have available MILIT forces that WLD be required for the complete MILIT interven 6 tion which might eventually be required if we embark upon course of even limited MILIT intervention. (2) There has to be some leadeR 2 ship in the ROK GOVT. It appears that this leadership can best be provided by Rhee under some contrds and in a more chastened mood. It appears here that US and UN interests WLD best be served if the Dist. Desired (Offices end result is that Rhee remains as PRES. Rhee WLD have much more Only) standing within and without Korea if he were elected by popular vote rather than by a reluctant and coerced Assembly. However, we believe that he SHLD be subj to Assembly controls along the lines suggested by the PRIMIN in his Points 2 and 3 set forth in penulti- mate PARA section 1 Pusan's 1259. Therefore we believe that consti- tutional amendment providing for popular election of PRES and subjecting DC/R Drafted by: Telegraphic transmission and FE:UAJohnson:eve 6/4/52 classification approved by: UAJohnson Anal S Clearances: S G cleared by the President Rev I S/S-CR ECRET SECURITY IMPORTATION REPRODUCTION FROM THIS ZIC Classification COPY, IF CLASSIFIED, IS PROHIBITED. JUN 4 1952 P.M. 729 13