740.00119 Control (Korea)/9–1647: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
352. Zpol 1152. In reference to Seoul PolAd No. 279, August 17.
1. American delegation of Joint Commission has completed study [Page 791] of a national election plan and procedure for all Korea under UN or Four-Power supervision. Will forward 10 copies to Joint Chiefs of Staff and I shall send 3 to State Department.4 Preparing its study American delegation has assumed that United States wants carefully supervised election to ensure to people of Korea an opportunity to express their wishes without fear or intimidation. The plan is, therefore, more detailed and bold than contemplated in election law recently passed by South Korea Interim Legislature. Essential features follow below.
2. In view of difficult terrain and lack of communications, plan contemplates holding elections by stages (three or four provinces at a time) so that adequate supervision can be provided by smaller supervisory groups than otherwise would be required. Under this arrangement all Korea would be divided into four groups. After election is held in one group’s area, the control and supervisory groups would move to next area. Lack of communications would prevent any appreciable double voting by voters moving from one area to another.
[Here follows summary of proposed national election plan.]
6. One important feature of American delegation’s proposed plan as compared with recent law passed by legislature is the “run-off” feature. Under delegation plan, if any candidate does not obtain 51% majority, there would be run-off between two candidates receiving highest number of votes. This would make it difficult for leftists (or any other small, well-organized group) to obtain largest number of successful candidates, especially in South Korea. Otherwise, because rightists are divided into about five main groups as against only one left candidate for all leftist groups, latter are almost certain to win in most areas. Lack of this feature is most serious objection to election law passed by South Korea Interim Legislature.
7. If election is held in South Korea only, Commanding General and Military Government feel we should proceed with elections under recent law passed by Skila (see my despatch No. 52, August 145) as South Koreans are pressing for such election. To delay much longer even in starting plans for that election would cause repercussions. There is insufficient time, therefore, for elections under Joint Commission plan unless that plan should be adopted by UN or the Four Powers in which event South Korea election could be halted since 80 days must elapse after initial announcement date before that election can be held. Rightist groups and members of Skila are considering ways and means of taking adequate safeguards against the danger referred to in paragraph 6 above either by an amendment providing for run-off election or by rightists agreeing upon one candidate in each district. [Page 792] The Commanding General, of course, would exert maximum supervision with means at his command.
8. Commanding General desires to know whether restriction on his freedom of action contained in Deptel 171, August 18, can now be removed. We realize that decision in this matter depends partially at least upon plans of Department and SWNCC for future handling of Korean problem by the Four Powers and UN concerning which we have little information especially as regards timing of next moves.
[On September 17 the United States Representative at the United Nations, Senator Warren R. Austin, wrote the United Nations Secretary General, Trygve Lie, requesting that “The Problem of the Independence of Korea” be added to the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly; United Nations, Official Records of the Second Session of the General Assembly, General Committee (hereinafter cited as GA (II), General Committee), page 36. On the same day, in an address before the General Assembly, the Secretary of State, as Chief of the United States Mission at the United Nations, presented a program for a more effective United Nations and discussed, among other matters, the question of the independence of Korea; Department of State Bulletin, September 28, 1947, pages 618–622, or United Nations, Official Records of the Second Session of the General Assembly, Plenary Meetings (hereinafter cited as GA (II)), volume I, pages 19, 21–22. The remarks on Korea were sent to Seoul in telegram 198, September 17, not printed. For proceedings in the General Assembly, including discussion of the question of Korea introduced by the Secretary, see United Nations, GA (II), volume I, pages 22 ff. For objections by the Soviet Representative at the United Nations, Andrey Yanuaryevich Vyshinsky, on September 18 and 23, see ibid., pages 91–92, 275–276.
On September 21 the General Committee of the General Assembly took up the matter of Korea’s being included in the agenda and voted 12–2 to recommend this to the General Assembly; United Nations, GA (II), General Committee, pages 19–20. The Soviet Union and Poland voted in the minority. On September 23 the General Assembly took up the matter and, following discussion, voted 41–6, with 6 abstentions, to include Korea in the agenda and to refer the matter to the First Committee for consideration and report; United Nations GA (II), volume I, pages 275–299.]