740.00119 Control (Korea)/9–3047: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Korea (Jacobs) to the Secretary of State
393. Cite Zpol 8818. Doctor Syngman Rhee issued a lengthy press release on afternoon September 30, full text of which will be submitted by airmail. As already indicated in previous telegrams, he is opposed to mutual withdrawal of armed forces until “Red Korean Army in north” has been disbanded under joint supervision and a South Korea Army is constituted in South Korea with respect to which he foolishly states “we can complete with the organization of our national defense army within 6 weeks”.
His comment on Soviet attitude is stated as follows: “The Soviet proposal to jointly withdraw both forces came not as surprise to us. We know the motive behind the proposal. We knew also that even the Soviet Union cannot afford to ignore the moral force of world opinion in favor of law and justice when it was sufficiently aroused.”
The statement, in the usual Rhee style, contains, however, more criticism of the United States than of the Soviets. The following are some examples:
“I humbly warn the Americans not to let history repeat itself.”
Speaking of the division of Korea after the war he states: “The United States agreed with the Soviet Union to divide and occupy Korea and to establish a trusteeship for Korea without even consulting the Korean people. This was a grave injustice.”
With regard to elections he states: “Koreans are at last determined to hold a general election and form a government even in the American zone, either with or without the cooperation of American Military Government.”
With regard to continued retention of American troops in Korea he states: “As we hold the US partly responsible for the division of our country, the US must not and cannot pull out until we have had time to evolve order and peace caused by foreign co-occupation.
“We demand that the US maintain a small force of security in South Korea without interference in our sovereign rights until we organize our government according to the will of the people.”
Please note that Rhee continues to speak as if he were the duly constituted head of all Koreans, and that he continues to operate as a lone wolf crying loudly, “A plague on both your houses”. During this new development he has made no effort to contact any of us to inquire how and what he and his followers can do to assist in obtaining what he so loudly proclaims as his objective, namely the unfettered independence of all Korea.