January 17, 1958

Dear Mr. Ambassador:
I have been instructed by His Excellency the President to acknowledge receipt of your report No.41 dated January 9, 1958 referring to the question on the implementation of the terms agreed upon at the conclusion of the preliminary talks.
Some questions raised in the said report were answered in the Ministry's cable instructions ST-910138 dated January 15 1958 which supplemented cable instructions ST-910101 dated January 4, 1958. But now you are advised again of our Government's position on issues in the implementation of the agreed terms.
The list of Korean art objects which Japan should submit at the working committee should cover not only those for which the immediate transfer is possible but also all those now in Japanese Government possession. We should have confirmed why some of the Korean art objects in Japanese Government possession cannot be transferred 'immediately'. This list should be fixed by February 14, 1958. According to the agreed terms, Japan should turn over to us what she should transfer "at an early possible date", and such date should be the end of February, 1958, namely before the resumption of the overall talks.
We are quite surprised that the Japanese side was, "placed in difficulty" in connection with the repatriation to our country of about 100 Koreans who allegedly desire to go to north Korea. Needless to say, it is the consistent and very firm position of our Government that Japan must not be allowed to send a single Korean in Japan to the puppet regime. You are aware that our Government, on various occasions, has expressed this position to the Japanese Government. Please keep in mind that the repatriation of these Koreans is imperative for successful implementation of all the terms agreed upon at the conclusion of the preliminary talks. Unless the Koreans of this category are included in the list submitted by the
Japanese, we can hardly expect that the other agreed terms will be successfully implemented.
In connection with 'the Koreans of a certain category, whom the Japanese side may try to protect in her territory, in your report you quoted Article 2 of the Agreed Minutes. But nothing in the Agreed Minutes is interpreted as preventing our side from requesting the Japanese side to turn over to us all those Koreans who are now sojourning in Japan without our travel documents. I have noted your recommendation on the move you deem advisable in case the Japanese should try to protect in her territory some Koreans. But at this time, insist to the Japanese side that we must and, are ready to, receive all these Koreans without exception.
When the list of the Koreans for repatriation is handed to us, the Government plans to dispatch investigators to Japan to check person by person the people listed, confirming whether or not they are really those Koreans without travel documents who entered Japan after the end of World War II. You are instructed to propose this to the Japanese side.
As for the Japanese obligation by the Annexed Understanding, please report on what actual action the Japanese has taken and will take.
In the same pouch by which this letter is sent, you will find a tentative list of the Korean art objects to be returned to us, which should be kept secret. You will also find lists of those Japanese fishermen who have served out their sentences and those who are yet to serve out their sentences.

Sincerely yours,
Chung W. Cho Minister

Ambassador Yu Taik Kim Korean Mission in Japan Tokyo