740.00119 Control (Korea)/4–1849
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Butterworth) to the Secretary of State
The attached ticker report indicates that Ambassador Muccio has been successful in persuading President Rhee to take the initiative in [Page 993] announcing early withdrawal of U. S. troops from Korea.1 I regard this as a real triumph.
“(Korea) Seoul—The South Korean army; is sufficiently powerful to repel any attack from the north and negotiations are under way to set an early date for the withdrawal of 8,000 U.S. troops from South Korea, President Syngman Rhee told a press conference.
Rhee said the American troops would be withdrawn during the course of the next several months. The American military mission, known as the Korean military advisory group, will remain in Korea.
The American military mission would continue to aid the training and expansion of South Korea’s 100,000–man army, which is American-trained and equipped.
Authoritative foreign observers believe this army is fully capable of meeting any challenge from the Soviet-supported North Korean People’s Army. (4/18—N954A)”
Incidentally, during the latter part of last week, we had several urgent telegraphic and telephonic exchanges with Seoul because President Rhee at that time was insisting as a condition precedent to such an announcement formal written commitments regarding military and economic aid which we were not disposed to make if they contained the implication of indefinite duration.
- President Rhee’s statement was made at a press conference held in Seoul on April 18 at 11 a. m.; the text of the statement was transmitted to the Department in telegram 405, from Seoul, April 18 (not printed). (501.BB (Korea)/4–1849)↩