보도자료: 국무부 장관 조지 마샬이 소련 외무상 몰로토프에게 보내는 서한

Incl #1 to G-2 Periodic Report #546, 17 April 1947. SPECIAL PRESS RELEASE Text of Secretary of State General George MARSHALL's Letter to MOLOTOV, Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs: "I wish to call to your attention the situation in KOREA. "The representatives of the Soviet Union and the UNITED STATES on the Joint (USUSSR) Commission in KOREA have been unable to make progress towards the establishment of a Korean Provisional Government. It has been 19 months since the Japanese surrender, yet KOREA has profited little. The country is divided into 2 zones. The Soviet Commander in Northern KOREA has refused to permit freedom of movement and free economic exchange between these zones. This has precluded freely chosen political amalgamation of the Korean people and has resulted in grave economic distress. "The policy of the UNITED STATES toward KOREA has the following basic objectives: "1. To assist in the establishment as soon as practicable of a self-governing sovereign KOREA, independent of foreign control and eligible for membership in the United Nations; "2. To insure that the National Government so established shall be representative of the freely expressed will of the Korean people; "3. To aid the Koreans in building a sound economy as an essential basis for their independent and democratic state. "The UNITED STATES, in the CAIRO Declaration of 1 December 1943, declared its determination that in due course, KOREA should become free and independent. The United Kingdom and the Republic of CHINA were parties of the same declaration. The CAIRO Declaration was specifically re-affirmed by the 3 powers in the POTSDAM Declaration which defined terms for the Japanese surrender. The USSR in its Declaration of War on JAPAN on August 8, 1945, declared its adherence to these Declarations. "Upon the surrender of Japanese Forces in KOREA in the areas respectively south and north of a line arbitrarily assigned for this purpose, the 38th parallel, this line of demarcation became in effect a boundary between zones of occupation. At the conference of the Foreign Ministers of the US, UK and USSR in MOSCOW in December 1945, the serious consequences of the bizonal division of KOREA were discussed and an agreement regarding KOREA was reached and published in part 3 of the communique of the conference. The Republic of CHINA subsequently subscribed to this agreement. "On March 20, 1946, the Joint (US-USSR) Commission appointed under the terms of the MOSCOW agreement met and began its task, as outlined in the agreement, of assisting in the formation of a Provisional Korean Democratic government as a first step in assuring the establishment of an independent and sovereign Korean nation. It was the hope of the government of the UNITED STATES that speedy action would be taken by the Joint Commission. A Provisional Korean government would rapidly be established, the unfortunate results of the line of demarcation between the UNITED STATES and the Soviet Forces would be overcome, and KOREA could be started on the way to attaining an independent and democratic government. "Unfortunately the work of the Joint Commission became stalemated after a short time through failure to agree on the definition of the word 'Democratic' as it pertained to the representation of the parties and social organizations mentioned in the MOSCOW Agreement to be consulted by the Joint Commission in its task of assisting in the formation of a Provisional government. As it became evident that no agreement could be reached at the time, the Joint Commission adjourned (sine die) on May 8, 1946. The UNITED STATES Commander in KOREA has several times suggested to the Soviet Incl #1 DECLASSIFIED (over) Authority NND745070 Commander that the commission reconvene and get on with its work. However, the Soviet Commander then insisted on a formula which would result in eliminating the majority of representative Korean leaders from consultation as representatives of Korean democratic parties and social organizations, and has reiterated this position in a letter to the American Commander as recently as February 28, 1947. It has therefore been impossible to agree upon a basis for reconvening the Commission. Now in April 1947, almost 16 months since the agreement pertaining to KOREA was reached in MOSCOW, there has still been no real progress made towards the implementation of that agreement. "In fulfillment of the intent of the agreement and declaration made at MOSCOW in December 1945, the government of the UNITED STATES desires to finish the work of establishing a free and independent KOREA without additional delay. To this end, I ask that our governments agree to instruct our respective commanders in KOREA to reconvene the Joint Commission as soon as possible and charge it with expediting its work under the terms of the MOSCOW Agreement on a basis of respect for the democratic right of freedom of opinion. "I further suggest that a mutually acceptable date during the summer of 1947 be fixed for a review by the two governments of the progress made to that date by the Joint Commission. In the meantime, the UNITED STATES, mindful of its obligation under the MOSCOW Agreement, has no alternative to taking without further delay such steps in its zone as will advance the purposes of that agreement. "I am furnishing copies of this letter to the British and Chinese governments." RECEIVED 20 APR 1947 HQ. XXIV Corps DECLASSIFIED Authority NND745070