Office of the Historian

Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 176: Telegram

The Ambassador in Korea (Muccio) to the Advance Headquarters, United Nations Command, Korea 1

secret   priority
Pusan, December 31, 1951—6:31 p. m.

310931Z. Your Dec 29 msg2 requesting I ask ROK Govt official list ROK civilians in Commie hands just recd. OPI Chief who coordinates this matter for ROK reiterates info already conveyed to you mymsgs Dec 24 and 28.3 Basic lists in General Lee’s possession. Additions mentioned mymsg Dec 28 being sent Lee by Defense Minister. ROK Govt does not have a separate selected list. No govt official willing to accept responsibility of preparing such a restricted list. No upstanding prominent govt officials or civic leaders went or taken north. I understand reluctance to list 27 national assemblymen separately for example due to understanding that some which ones no one definitely knows threw their lot in with the Commies. All Koreans consider the revised list totalling 2,585 prepared by family association as the key list. I suggest that this be so considered.

  1. Repeated for information to General Ridgway in Tokyo and to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Neither printed, but see telegram 584, December 19, from Pusan, p. 1376.↩