740.00119 Control (Korea)/9–1247: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
339. Cite Zpol 1133. There is another phase of the situation here which gives us cause for worry and which Department may wish in some way to refer in possible press release along with subject referred to in last paragraph Seoul PolAd No. 324, September 9.
The Koreans who work with us in Military Government and in the Interim Legislative Assembly, men like Ahn Chai Hong and Kimm Kiusic, complain that they do not receive adequate recognition and assistance from us and that therefore their prestige suffers. Their complaint is not entirely unjustified. After recent recess of the Legislature Kimm Kiusic almost refused to resume his duties and Ahn Chai Hong is none too happy. These men deserve our fullest support because without them our position might become precarious.97
They naturally are discouraged when the Korean people read of apparently favorably received activities of Rhee’s and other unofficial agents in the United States claiming to represent the Korean people. Some of these agents even agitate against us but the point is that all of them are unofficial, representing only segments of the Korean people, and some almost no Koreans at all.
It would be most helpful, therefore, especially at this time when various alleged Korean groups are propagandizing in the US, styling themselves as “delegations”, “plenipotentiaries of the Korean people” and “representatives of a Korean Assembly” et cetera, and appealing to the UN, if the Department could issue a statement to the effect that the only official Korean agencies authorized to speak officially for the Korean people under the military government which the United States has established in South Korea are (1) the civil administrator and (2) the South Korea Interim Legislative Assembly. This statement would boost morale of Koreans here who support and work with us, and not against us, and would also serve notice on other governments and international agencies (we have in mind China and the United [Page 788] Nations especially) that the official Korean agencies authorized to represent South Korea under our administration are the two agencies mentioned above.
- In telegram 193, September 12, 6 p.m., to Seoul, which apparently crossed telegram 339, the Department stated that it was considering the advisability of having Dr. Kimm Kiusic or other qualified representatives of the South Korean Interim Legislative Assembly (Skila) visit Washington for consultation (740. 00119 Control (Korea)/9–1047).↩