740.00119 Control (Korea)/8–2547: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
301. Cite Zurc 7545. Following is text of General Brown’s statement released to press afternoon August 25 in reply to General Shtikov’s complaint against arrests in South Korea.
“At the 54th meeting of the Joint Commission, 20th August 1947, the Chief Commissioner of the Soviet delegation read a statement concerning the arrest of certain leftist leaders of South Korea. In this statement he requested the American delegation to join with the Soviet delegation in initiating certain action. The Chief Commissioner of the American delegation informed the Chief Commissioner of the Soviet delegation that before the American delegation could comment on his statement it would be necessary to have it translated, that comment would be made at a later meeting. He also informed the Chief Commissioner of the Soviet delegation that in listening to the Soviet statement it appeared to the Chief Commissioner of the American delegation as though the Soviet delegation was attempting to interfere with the Government of South Korea, that the Joint Commission had no responsibility at this time for governing Korea, but did have responsibility for preparing plans for the formation of a government which would later govern Korea.
On August 22 the Chief Commissioner of the Soviet delegation released to the American and Korean press the above mentioned statement. By informing the people of the world of a complaint against an outside third party—the South Korean Government—prior to agreement by the American delegation, which was not even given a chance to reply, the Soviet delegation is in fact attempting to usurp the functions of the Joint Commission and to take upon itself action which the Joint Commission could only take by mutual agreement of both delegations. The Soviet delegation overlooks the fact that while in South Korea it is actually a guest of the South Korean Government and of the United States which this government represents, and that it should follow the normal dictates of comon courtesy in conducting its business.
The statement that fulfillment of the Moscow decision is being impeded by the arrest of the few individuals reported in the Soviet statement is absurd. There remain tens of thousands of individuals left in the political parties and organizations represented by those arrested who can substitute for them if necessary as representative of their parties and organization. Moreover, for reasons totally unrelated the arrests, the Joint Commission has had no prospect of holding oral consultation since the meeting of 2nd July. The arrests, therefore, have no bearing whatsoever on the conduct of oral consultation. Furthermore, the Soviet delegation does not know whether, if oral consultation should commence tomorrow, the individuals of whose arrests it complains would or would not be made available for consultation. I can assure the Soviet delegation that the American delegation will join with it in requesting that any individual with whom the Joint Commission desires to consult be made [available?] to the Joint [Page 768] Commission for the purpose. The American delegation also expects that the Soviet organization will join with it in producing certain individuals now held under arrest in North Korea with whom the American delegation is most anxious to consult.
The statement of the Soviet delegation that these arrests seem to be made for the purpose of creating conditions which would undermine the work of the Joint Commission is pure fantasy. The Soviet delegation is bringing the charges for purposes of pure propaganda and of creating a smoke-screen to obscure certain strategic blunders of the Soviet delegation. These blunders have placed the Soviet delegation, through its inexcusable refusal to consult broadly with Korean parties and social organizations, in the position of repudiating the Marshall–Molotov agreement and holding up the work of the Joint Commission, the fulfillment of the Moscow decision on Korea and the final establishment of Korean independence. While the American delegation did not and would not have raised the issue, since the Soviet delegation [it-]self raised it, the American delegation desires to make the following comments on the activities of the parties and organizations in South Korea which the Soviet delegation is attempting to defend.
The South Korea Labor Party and other parties and organizations, members of the Democratic Peoples’ Front of South Korea, have since their inception been disloyal to the government of South Korea and hostile to the United States. They have used illegal means, including subversive action, to embarrass and undermine the governmental functions in the United States zone.
They have been aided and abetted in such action by the Democratic Peoples’ Front of North Korea.
Agents from without South Korea have been sent into South Korea to organize disorders against the government and to lead these organizations, members of the Democratic Peoples’ Front, in such disorder (unless and until the parties and organizations holding membership in the Democratic Peoples’ Front cease their present policy of intrigue and disloyalty to the existing government,) their leaders must accept the responsibility for the illegal acts of the parties which they lead and which they presumably plan and direct. Such responsibility includes the ever present possibility of arrest, file [fine] and/or imprisonment.
The Government of South Korea has authority to take such action as is necessary to protect itself.
The American delegation once again advises the Soviet delegation to avoid entanglement in Korea politics, particularly in support of parties and organizations hostile to the United States.”