795.00/4–853
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Johnson) to the Secretary of State1
Subject:
- Call by Korean Ambassador
We have informed the Korean Ambassador that you are seeing him at the request of the President.2 We do not know the exact contents of his instructions from President Rhee but assume that they reiterate (1) Korean opposition to an armistice along the present lines, since it would not provide for (a) Korean unification, (b) the withdrawal of Chinese Communist armies from Korea, (c) disarmament of North Korean armies, (d) recognition of Republic of Korea sovereignty over all Korea; and (2) Korean desires for a bilateral defense pact with the United States.
During the past week Korean Government opposition to a possible resumption of the armistice negotiations has been manifested by anti-armistice parades and condemnatory public statements. General Clark is concerned by this campaign of incitement and fears that at worst the Republic of Korea Government may attempt to withdraw elements of the ROK army from United Nations control and remove ROK officials from United Nations influence. In any event, a continuation of the ROK campaign presents obvious dangers.
President Rhee probably full well realizes the impossibility of opposing any United States Government decision to enter into an armistice. However, President Rhee hopes to use this opposition to an armistice to obtain a bilateral defense pact from the United States. We must recognize that this strong desire for a defense pact is motivated not only by political considerations on the part of Rhee but also by what is a genuine, however exaggerated, fear of abandonment by the U.S. We should find some way of meeting it more successfully than we have thus far.
In the past we have attempted to meet this situation by frequent public and private reassurances to Korean leaders and by communicating confidentially in March, 1952 the substance of the “Greater Sanctions” statement to President Rhee.
A bilateral defense pact presents problems in relation to maintaining the UN character of the present action in Korea and has been strongly opposed by Defense in the light of the fact that their general war plans do not call for the defense of Korea. Therefore, I do not believe we are in any position at this time to give the Korean Government any assurance [Page 897] with regard to the conclusion of a defense pact. However, this is a problem upon which we have been working and upon which I hope we will be able to submit recommendations to you.