Office of the Historian

269. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State0

Seoul, February 11, 1959, 6 p.m.

371. Reference Embtel 366.1 Special Session National Assembly adjourned today after parties unable agree terms DP-requested extension. While Yi Chae-hak presided, DP walked out before closing ceremonies when Han Hui-sok took seat on platform. In week of wrangling, principally over procedural disputes, Assembly failed make any progress toward settlement political crisis.

Both parties have requested calling another special session to begin February 18. LP proposing this meeting discuss economic matters, DP again asking for confirmation of invalidity December 24 enactments and fixing of responsibility December 24 events. It evident, however, that next session, like one just adjourned, will accomplish little as long two parties unable arrive some basic agreement on how to deal with substantive questions dividing them. Holding Assembly sessions without prior agreement, while it may bring two parties together and act as safety valve, cannot resolve impasse and even tends further complicate already difficult situation.

Both parties appearing await further disclosure US position which they anticipating on Ambassador Dowling’s return and unlikely soften basic attitudes before then. DP position remains (1) deletion or drastic revision 5 key articles security law, (2) reversal local autonomy law and upper house election law, (3) LP apologize for December 24 events, punish those responsible, and give assurance no such incident in future. So far LP has only indicated it willing compromise to unspecified extension security law, but not until DP gives up insisting law invalid. DP, fearing double-cross once it agrees December 24 enactments legal, will not do this. Only likely solution leading to restoration political normalcy appears be in form package agreement worked out on confidential basis at highest level and forced from above on recalcitrant elements, particularly LP hard factionists.

Gilstrap
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.21/2–1159. Confidential.↩
  2. In telegram 366 from Seoul, February 6, the Embassy reported that no progress had been made toward the settlement of the political crisis during the four plenary sessions of the Assembly held since the Liberal Party returned on February 3. (Ibid., 795B.21/2–659) See Supplement.↩