740.00119 Control (Korea)/10–147: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
2960. Following substance Foreign Office note dated September 30, delivered last night:29
“1. On September 6, 1947 in Seoul, in building where joint Soviet-American Commission for Korea works, attempt was made by American sentries to search an employee of Soviet delegation, Pak Tyaseb.
Head of Soviet delegation, General. Shtikov, sent protest to head American delegation General Brown, in regard to this illegal act of the American sentries. In reply this protest, completely unsatisfactory explanation was presented to effect Pak Tyaseb was mistakenly taken by sentries for Korean char woman of building, who was subject to search upon exit from building. Such error could not have happened since all American sentries guarding aforesaid building know by sight Pak Tyaseb as permanent employee of Soviet delegation.
2. On September 21 at 15 hours local time, interpreters of Soviet delegation, Gerasim Pak and Lyan Kehen, while returning home, were arrested on street by officials of American military police who invited interpreters to enter police car and go to police station. In spite of fact that interpreters Gerasim Pak and Lyan Kehen presented their cards of identity issued by American Secretariat of Joint Commission and signed by chief of American military police, one of police struck Lyan Kehen, after which both interpreters, under threat of arms, were made to sit in car and were taken to American police station.
At the station, where the interpreters of Soviet delegation were detained for 3 hours, they were photographed, interrogated, and subjected to an insulting search. At same time, request of interpreters to [Page 822] communicate by telephone with Secretariat Soviet delegation re incident was categorically refused.
Government of USSR considers such action of American military authorities in South Korea as crude breach of existing norms of international law.
On behalf of Soviet Government, Ministry Foreign Affairs protests with regard to above-mentioned intolerable actions of American military authorities in South Korea in connection with employees of Soviet delegation to Joint Commission, and insists that the guilty persons be prosecuted and that measures be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
Repeat to Seoul.