SEOUL POLAD 500 Part 2

EXPRESS CONFIDENTIAL **CONFIDENTIAL** PRIORITY ZPOL 961 2609102 26 June 1948 TO : STATE DEPARTMENT 2609102 INFO: JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CINCFE HODGE SENDS FOR JACOBS PD THIS IS SEOUL POLADS PART TWO OF TWO PARTS OF FIVE ZERO ZERO JUNE TWENTYSIXTH CMA PARAGRAPH TWELVE THROUGH NINETEEN PARA TWELVE PD WHILE FOREGOING MERGER WAS TAKING PLACE CMA REPORTS BEGAN TO APPEAR OF MERGER OF SAM IL AND THE QTE NON PARTISAN CLUB UNQTE PD AT FIRST IT SEEMED THAT THIS WAS TO BE COMPLETE UNION BUT MORE RECENTLY IT TURNS OUT TO BE EFFORTS OF SHIN IK HEE AND LEE CHUNG CHUNG OF SAM IL CLUB TO WEAN AWAY FROM NON PARTISAN CLUB SOME OF ITS NON LEFTIST MEMBERS PD EVIDENCE OF THIS IS FOUND IN APPOINTMENT OF QTE JOINT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE UNQTE TO FOSTER MERGER WHICH CONSISTS OF FIVE MEMBERS OF EACH GROUP CMA ALL OF WHOM ARE NON LEFTISTS PD PRESS AS OF JUNE TWENTYFOURTH STILL CARRIES ITEMS CONCERNING THIS MERGER BUT IN [illegible] VIEW OF IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICT WITH LEFTIST GROUP IN NON PARTISAN CLUB CMA COMPLETE MERGER IS IMPOSSIBLE PARA THIRTEEN PD RESULTS AND LOGICAL DEDUCTIONS TO DATE FROM FOREGOING ARE BELIEVED TO BE AS FOLLOWS CLN PARA PAREN ABLE PAREN KOREAN LEADERS ARE STILL UP TO THEIR POLITICKING UNQTE WHILE QTE ROME BURNS UNQTE PARA PAREN BAKER PAREN HANKOOKS ARE STILL STRONGEST AND MOST CONFIDENT OF ALL PAGE ONE OF 4 PAGES **DECLASSIFIED** Authority NND 947500 **CONFIDENTIAL** CONFIDENTIAL GROUPS WITH CLAIMED VOTING STRENGTH PAREN AS OF JUNE TWENTY FOURTH PAREN OF EIGHTY WITH APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER SIX MEMBERS WHO WILL VOTE WITH THEM PARA PAREN CHARLIE PAREN NEXT STRONGEST GROUP IS THAT SPONSORED BY SHIN IK HEE AND GENERAL LEE CHUNG CHUN NOW GOING UNDER NAME OF SAM IL CLUB PAREN MARCH FIRST CLUB PAREN PD IT CLAIMS TO HAVE PAREN AS OF JUNE TWENTYFOURTH PAREN ABOUT SIXTY MEMBERS WITH ADDITIONAL PROSPECTS IN OFFING FROM PROSELYTES MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH TWELVE ABOVE PARA PAREN DOG PAREN THIRD STRONGEST GROUP IS QTE NON PARTISAN CLUB UNQTE WITH ABOUT FIFTY THREE MEMBERS AS OF JUNE FIFTEENTH PD SOME MEMBERS MAY ALREADY HAVE DESERTED TO SAM IL CLUB AS RESULT OF PROSELYTING EFFORTS OF THAT CLUB PD CENTRAL CORE OF THIS GROUP CONSISTS OF EIGHTEEN MEMBERS CIN EIGHT KIM KOO FOLLOWERS CMA SIX KIMM KIUSIC FOLLOWERS AND FOUR LEFTIST COMMUNISTS PARA PAREN EASY PAREN TOTAL OF FOREGOING THREE GROUPS IS ONE NINE THREE LEAVING ONLY FIVE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS UNACCOUNTED FOR PD THERE ARE HOWEVER DEFINITELY MORE UNATTACHED MEMBERS THAN FIVE PD FOR INSTANCE CMA THERE ARE SIX KOREAN NATIONAL YOUTH MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT SO FAR AS IS KNOWN JOINED ANY GROUP PD IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS DISCREPANCY ARISES OUT OF EXAGGERATED MEMBERSHIP CLAIMS OF SAM IL AND QTE NON PARTISAN UNQTE CLUBS DUE TO EACH CLAIMING SAME MEMBERS PD IT IS BELIEVED THEREFORE THAT THERE MUST BE RESIDUE OF AT LEAST TWENTY MEMBERS WHO ARE COMPLETELY UNATTACHED AND UNCOMMITTED PARA FOX PAREN WHILE HANKOOKS ARE STRONGEST CMA THEY CANNOT COMMAND MAJORITY PAREN ONE ZERO ONE VOTES PAREN WITHOUT OTHER VOTES PD LIKEWISE PAGE TWO OF 9 PAGES (Polads 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 947500 CONFIDENTIAL SINCE SAM IL AND QTE NON PARTISAN UNQTE CLUBS ARE NOT LIKELY TO UNITE DASH AT LEAST WITH EIGHTEEN LEFTISTS PAREN KIMM KIUSIC DASH KIM KOO COMBINATION PAREN/NO OTHER GROUP CAN AS YET DEFINITELY COMMAND MAJORITY PD HENCE FURTHER JOCKEYING FOR POSITION IS INEVITABLE PARA PAREN GEORGE PAREN THERE SEEMS LITTLE DOUBT BUT THAT SYNGMAN RHEE WILL BE ELECTED PRESIDENT UNLESS HE FORIRRECONCILABLE GETS HIMSELF AND CREATES [illegible] ANTAGONISM CMA WHICH WOULD PROBABLY SPELL COLLAPSE OF PRESENT EFFORTS TO FORM GOVT [illegible] PD RHEE SEEMS TO HAVE QTE MELLOWED UNQTE SINCE HE CAME CMA INTO POWER [illegible] ALTHOUGH HE REVEALED HIS OLD STUBBORNNESS WHEN CMA AS INDICATED ABOVE CMA HE THREATENED TO WITHDRAW AND WRECK EVERYTHING OVER QUESTION OF PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY PARA PAREN HOWE PAREN LEADERS NOW EXPECTED TO OCCUPY PROMINENT PLACES IN NEW GOVT CMA ASIDE FROM RHEE CMA ARE KIM SEUNG SOO CMA SHIN IK HEE CMA GENERAL LEE CHUNG CHUN CMA CHOUGH BYUNG OK CMA CHANG TAIK SANG CMA YUN CHI YUNG CMA CHANG MYUN [illegible] KIM DONG WON AND LEE YUN YUNG PD THERE IS ALSO MOVEMENT ON FOOT TO GIVE HIGH POSITIONS TO TWO VERY OLD KOREAN REVOLUTIONARY LEADERS CMA OH SEI CHONG PAREN EIGHTY FIVE YEARS PAREN AND LEE SI YUNG PAREN EIGHTY ONE YEARS PAREN PARA PART TWO PD POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS OUTSIDE ASSEMBLY PARA FOURTEEN PD PROBABLY FIRST GROUP OUTSIDE ASSEMBLY WHICH SHOULD BE MENTIONED IN CONNECTION WITH COMING EVENTS CMA IS LARGE BODY OF KOREAN OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF MILGOVT PD THERE IS CONSIDERABLE FERMENT AMONG THEM AS THEY ARE NATURALLY VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR FUTURE PD THEY HAVE BARGAINING PAGE THREE OF 9__ PAGES (POLADS 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 947500 CONFIDENTIAL POINT IN FACT THAT THEY HAVE HAD ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IN GOVT WHICH WILL BE NEEDED BY NEW AUTHORITIES PD THEY ARE THEREFORE NOT ONLY QTE CONSULTING UNQTE WITH ASSEMBLY LEADERS BUT ARE BEING QTE CONSULTED UNQTE BY THEM PD FORMER CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR AHN CHAI HONG CMA NOW RESIGNED CMA IS ACTIVE IN THIS FERMENT PD HOWEVER CMA HIS ALLEGIANCE LIES MORE TOWARD THOSE MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF KIM KOO AND KIMM KIUSIC PD HE AND HIS GROUP ARE DEFINITELY OPPOSED TO SYNGMAN RHEE AND HIS FOLLOWERS PD THE POLITICAL ALLEGIANCES OF OTHER CIVIL SERVANTS FOLLOW VARIOUS PARTY LINES INDICATED IN PART ONE OF THIS TELEGRAM BUT LARGEST GROUP OF PRESENT CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ARE EITHER HANKOOK OR FOLLOWERS OF AHN CHAI HONG ALTHOUGH THERE IS FAIR SPRINKLING OF RHEE FOLLOWERS AMONG THEM PARA FIFTEEN PD NEXT OUTSIDE GROUP WHICH SHOULD BE MENTIONED IS COMBINATION KOREAN INDEPENDENT PARTY PAREN KIM KOO PAREN AND NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE FEDERATION PAREN KIMM KIUSIC PAREN WHICH AS REPORTED IN OTHER TELEGRAMS IS SEEKING TO OBTAIN PLACE IN COMING GOVT THROUGH SUPPORT OF QTE NON PARTISAN CLUB UNQTE IN ASSEMBLY AND THEIR EFFORTS TO ATTRACT ATTENTION BY PLAYING UP THEIR UNIFICATION PLAN PD THEY ARE ALSO DOING CONSIDERABLE CONSULTING THROUGH EMISSARIES BOTH WITH OFFICERS OF COMMAND AND WITH MEMBERS UNTCOK PD IT IS BELIEVED THAT THEY WOULD QUICKLY CEASE THEIR OPPOSITION TO COMING GOVT AND DECLARE THEIR LOYALTY IF THEY COULD FIND SO ME ORIENTAL WAY TO SAVE PAGE FOUR OF 9 PAGES (POLADs 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 947500 CONFIDENTIAL THEIR FACES AS RESULT OF THEIR PYONGYANG FIASCO PD IF THEY ARE NOT TAKEN INTO NEW GOVT AND SEEK REVENGE BY JOINING UP WITH SOUTH KOREA LABOR PARTY PAREN TO BE MENTIONED BELOW PAREN NEW GOVT WILL HAVE RATHER FORMIDABLE COMBINATION TO COMBAT ALONG WITH ALL ITS OTHER DIFFICULT PROBLEMS PARA SIXTEEN PD BY FAR MOST IMPORTANT OUTSIDE POLITICAL GROUP IN SOUTH KOREA IS SOUTH KOREA LABOR PARTY WHICH IS THOROUGHLY COMMUNIST IF NOT NOW THE REAL COMMUNIST PARTY PD IT TAKES ORDERS FROM PYONGYANG WHICH IN TURN MEANS FROM MOSCOW PD IT IS SUBVERSIVE FACTOR WHOSE SOLE OBJECTIVE CMA NOW THAT NEW GOVT IS BEING SET UP IN KOREA UNDER UNCLE NAN AND UNCLE SUGAR AUSPICES CMA IS TO SABOTAGE THAT EFFORT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE PD WHILE DISORDERS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THIS PARTY HAVE SOMEWHAT LESSENED SINCE ELECTION CMA ITS EFFORTS ARE TAKING ON VERY DEFINITE FORMS WHICH ARE SINISTER IN CHARACTER PD FOR INSTANCE CMA ON CHEJU ISLAND CMA DISORDERS THERE ARE DEFINITELY UTILIZING ALL OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS PAREN BEING PUSHED TO MAXIMUM BY COMMUNIST EFFORTS PD PAK CHIN KYUNG CMA COMMANDING CONSTABULARY ON CHEJU AND PROBABLY BEST OFFICER IN CONSTABULARY WAS MURDERED WHILE ASLEEP BY SOUTH KOREAN LABOR PARTY STOOGE WHO GAINED ENTRANCE TO HIS HEADQUARTERS BY WEARING CONSTABULARY UNIFORM PD RECENTLY TWO COAST GUARD VESSELS WERE TAKEN OVER BY COMMUNIST MUTINEERS WHO MURDERED CAPTAINS AND TOOK VESSELS TO NORTH KOREAN PORTS PD ASSASSINAtions OF RIGHTISTS BY COMMUNISTS [illegible] HAVE CONTINUED AFTER ELECTIONS PARA PAGE FIVE OF 9 PAGES (POLADs 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 94750D CONFIDENTIAL IN ADDITION TO AFOREMENTIONED TERRORISTIC SIDE OF SABOTAGE BY SOUTH KOREA LABOR PARTY CMA IT IS BEGINNING TO ENGAGE IN INSIDIOUS PROPAGANDA SUCH AS SPREADING RUMORS THAT UNITED STATES IS BRINGING JAPANESE BACK TO KOREA CMA THAT JAPANESE ARE BEING USED TO SUPPRESS DISORDERS ON CHEJU ISLAND CMA THAT UNCLE SUGAR IS BUILDING UP JAPAN AS MILITARY POWER WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY MARCH THROUGH KOREA TO ATTACK RUSSIA CMA AND THAT ACCIDENTAL BOMBING OF KOREAN FISHERMEN BY UNCLE SUGAR AIRPLANES WAS UNPARDONABLE PD NEEDLESS TO SAY CMA THIS PARTY STILL CONTINUES TO HARP ALONG USUAL PROPAGANDA LINES THAT UNCLE SUGAR IS IMPERIALISTIC AND EXPECTS MAKE COLONY OF KOREA PD RADIO BROADCASTS FROM PYONGYANG AND MOSCOW SUPPORT THESE LINES PARA IT MAY BE EXPECTED THEREFORE THAT NEW GOVT WILL BE BESET AT EVERY TURN BY EVERY FORM OF SINISTER CMA SUBTLE AND OPEN OPPOSITION THAT COMMUNIST MINDS CAN DEVISE CMA CARRIED ON THROUGH OPERATION OF SOUTH KOREA LABOR PARTY PD IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT NEW GOVT WILL ULTIMATELY BE FORCED TO BAN THIS PARTY AND DRIVE ITS LEADERS COMPLETELY UNDERGROUND WHICH MAY ULTIMATELY BRING ABOUT OPEN RUPTURE AND POSSIBLE WAR BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREAN FORCES PARA IT IS IMPOSSIBLE ESTIMATE EXACT NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF SOUTH KOREA LABOR PARTY BUT IT IS NOW VERY SMALL ALTHOUGH IT EXERCISES SOME DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER THINKING OF MUCH PAGE SIX OF 9 PAGES (POLADS 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND947500 CONFIDENTIAL LARGER NUMBER OF SOUTH KOREANS CMA POSSIBLY TEN TO FIFTEEN PER CENT THEREOF PD WHAT IT LACKS IN NUMERICAL STRENGTH HOWEVER IS MADE/THROUGH ITS SUBTLE UNDERHAND TERRORIST METHODS PARA UP SEVENTEEN PD OTHER FORCES OUTSIDE ASSEMBLY WHICH MIGHT BE MENTIONED IN THIS TELEGRAM ARE YOUTH GROUPS CMA POLICE AND MILITARY ELEMENTS PAREN CONSTABULARY AND COAST GUARD PAREN WHICH MAY BECOME NUCLEUS OF FUTURE ARMY PD FOR MOMENT ACTIVITIES OF YOUTH GROUPS SEEM TO HAVE DIED DOWN AS RESULT OF INTEREST CREATED BY ASSEMBLY DELIBERATIONS AND PREPARATIONS FOR FORMATION OF GOVT PD HOWEVER THEY ARE LIKELY TO RESUME ACTIVITIES AND BECOME DIFFICULT IF EITHER OF TWO DEVELOPMENTS OCCUR CLN PAREN ABLE PAREN GOVT FORMED IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY LIBERAL TO MEET THEIR VIEWS AND PAREN BAKER PAREN OPEN RUPTURE OCCURS BETWEEN GOVT AND COMMUNIST ELEMENTS CMA IN WHICH EVENTUALITY YOUTH GROUPS WILL PROBABLY BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT MILITARY AND POLICE FORCES PD POLICE WILL PROBABLY BECOME STRONG ARM FORCE IN HANDS OF CERTAIN GOVT LEADERS WHO CMA IN TRUE ORIENTAL STYLE CMA WILL MISUSE POLICE FUNCTIONS FROM VIEWPOINT OF OCCIDENTAL EYES PD HOWEVER CMA COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES WILL GIVE SUCH LEADERS GOOD EXCUSE FOR ACTIONS WHICH POLICE WILL TAKE PD [illegible] TRANSFORMATION OF CONSTABULARY AND COAST GUARD INTO ARMY AND NAVY MAY LEAD TO MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES PD ALREADY CMA [illegible] TRUE TO ORIENTAL THINKING CMA CERTAIN MILITARY LEADERS ALSO ARE ANGLING TO BECOME CHIEFS OF ARMY WITH THOUGHT THAT THEREBY THEY CAN BUILD UP PRESTIGE AND POWER FOR THEMSELVES PD IT PAGE SEVEN OF 9 PAGES (POLADs 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 947500 CONFIDENTIAL WOULD NOT BE SURPRISING THEREFORE IF OPEN RUPTURE SHOULD OCCUR BETWEEN CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND COMMUNIST ELEMENTS CMA TO FIND MILITARY LEADERS STEPPING BEYOND BOUNDS OF PROPRIETY AND EXERCISING AUTHORITY BY FORCE OF ARMS PARA PART THREE PROGNOSIS PARA EIGHTEEN PD SOME DELAY IS BEING ENCOUNTERED IN DRAFTING CONSTITUTION DUE TO FUNDAMENTAL CONFLICT OF IDEAS BETWEEN HANKOOK AND NON HANKOOK PD IT IS ESTIMATED HOWEVER THAT CONSTITUTION WILL BE APPROVED BY JULY FIFTEENTH AND GOVT FORMED BETWEEN THAT DATE AND AUGUST FIRST PD RHEE IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO BE ITS PRESIDENT CMA WITH MUCH AUTHORITY IN HIS HANDS DASH FAR MORE THAN HANKOOKS WOULD LIKE PD SOME CABINET MEMBERS OF THAT GOVT WILL BE THOSE LEADERS MENTIONED ABOVE IN PARAGRAPH THIRTEEN PAREN HOWE PAREN PD IT IS BELIEVED THAT WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITATIONS DUE CHIEFLY TO LACK OF EXPERIENCE CMA THESE LEADERS ARE QUALIFIED TO MANAGE AFFAIRS OF NEW STATE IN REASONABLY CREDITABLE MANNER PD CHIEF DANGER TO NEW STATE WILL ARISE FROM PROBLEMS CREATED BY MACHINATIONS OF MOSCOW ALTHOUGH [illegible] RHEES AUTOCRATIC AND TOTALITARIAN TENDENCIES SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED PARA NINETEEN PD WHILE FOREGOING RESUME MAY APPEAR BIT PESSIMISTIC CMA SITUATION IS NOT TOO ALARMING EITHER FROM KOREAN CMA UNCLE SUGAR OR UNCLE NAN STANDPOINT CMA PROVIDED CERTAIN AID AND ASSISTANCE CAN BE SUPPLIED FOR FEW YEARS CMA PROVIDED UNTCOK CARRIES THROUGH LETTER AND SPIRIT OF UNCLE NAN RESOLUTIONS CMA PAGE EIGHT OF 9 PAGES (Polads 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 947500 CONFIDENTIAL LARGER NUMBER OF SOUTH KOREANS CMA POSSIBLY TEN TO FIFTEEN PER CENT THEREOF PD WHAT IT LACKS IN NUMERICAL STRENGTH HOWEVER UP IS MADE/THROUGH ITS SUBTLE UNDERHAND TERRORIST METHODS PARA SEVENTEEN PD OTHER FORCES OUTSIDE ASSEMBLY WHICH MIGHT BE MENTIONED IN THIS TELEGRAM ARE YOUTH GROUPS CMA POLICE AND MILITARY ELEMENTS PAREN CONSTABULARY AND COAST GUARD PAREN WHICH MAY BECOME NUCLEUS OF FUTURE ARMY PD FOR MOMENT ACTIVITIES OF YOUTH GROUPS SEEM TO HAVE DIED DOWN AS RESULT OF INTEREST CREATED BY ASSEMBLY DELIBERATIONS AND PREPARATIONS FOR FORMATION OF GOVT PD HOWEVER THEY ARE LIKELY TO RESUME ACTIVITIES AND BECOME DIFFICULT IF EITHER OF TWO DEVELOPMENTS OCCUR CLN PAREN ABLE PAREN GOVT FORMED IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY LIBERAL TO MEET THEIR VIEWS AND KAREN BAKER PAREN OPEN RUPTURE OCCURS BETWEEN GOVT AND COMMUNIST ELEMENTS CMA IN WHICH EVENTUALITY YOUTH GROUPS WILL PROBABLY BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT MILITARY AND POLICE FORCES PD POLICE WILL PROBABLY BECOME STRONG ARM FORCE IN HANDS OF CERTAIN GOVT LEADERS WHO CMA IN TRUE ORIENTAL STYLE CMA WILL MISUSE POLICE FUNCTIONS FROM VIEWPOINT OF OCCIDENTAL EYES PD HOWEVER CMA COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES WILL GIVE SUCH LEADERS GOOD EXCUSE FOR ACTIONS WHICH POLICE WILL TAKE PD [illegible] TRANSFORMATION OF CONSTABULARY AND COAST GUARD INTO ARMY AND NAVY MAY LEAD TO MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES PD ALREADY ALSO CMA [illegible] TRUE TO ORIENTAL THINKING CMA CERTAIN MILITARY LEADERS ARE ANGLING TO BECOME CHIEFS OF ARMY WITH THOUGHT THAT THEREBY THEY CAN BUILD UP PRESTIGE AND POWER FOR THEMSELVES PD IT PAGE SEVEN OF 9 PAGES (POLADs 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND947500 CONFIDENTIAL PROVIDED KOREANS KNUCKLE DOWN TO BUSINESS AND APPLY ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE AS IT SHOULD BE APPLIED CMA AND PROVIDED PRESENT PLANNING WITH RESPECT TO TRAINING OF SECURITY FORCE IS CONTINUED AND CARRIED THROUGH TO COMPLETION PD THERE IS LIKELY TO BE TROUBLE AND BLOODSHED BUT CMA VIEWING FUTURE OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN THIS TROUBLESOME AGE CMA KOREA WILL NOT BE ALONE IN THIS RESPECT PD END OF POLADS FIVE ZERO ZERO JUNE TWENTYSIXTH PD [signature] EUGENE S. ROLAND MAJG USA Asst Adj Gen OFFICIAL DESIGNATION OF SENDER: CG USAFIK DISTRIBUTION: C/S AG POLAD G-2 Dr. Noble (4) Page 9 of 9 pages (Polads 500 Part II) DECLASSIFIED Authority NND 94750D O. F. ERBE CWO USA ASST ADJ GEN