July 21, 1959

TO : Foreign Minister
FROM : Vice-Foreign Minister
SUBJECT : The Korea-Japan Relations : Report on Conversation with Ambassador Dowling, Observation
U.S. Ambassador Walter C. Dowling called on me at my office and held conversation for about fifty minutes from 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 17, 1959 concerning the Korea -Japan relations. Mr. Dowling 's remarks are summarized as follows:
(GIST OF AMBASSADOR DOWLING 'S REMARKS).
The U.S. is anxious to minimize, and if possible, to prevent, "repatriation" of Korean residents in Japan to north Korea. In U.S. view, there is a slight chance that the ICRC will refuse participation in the JRC-puppets plan. Once the ICRC agrees to participate in the said repatriation plan, the Korean Government will be unable to prevent the "repatriation". The free world, unanimously adhering to the principle of free choice of residence, would blame the Korean Government for the consequent further deterioration of the Korea -Japan relations. In that event, the U.S. would be placed in an awkward position due to Regulation I of ICA. As the puppet regime will not consent to full and free screening of individual applicants by the ICRC, it would serve ROK interests if it works to increase such ICRC participation to the extent that it will be intorerable to the puppets. In U.S. view, full participation by the ICRC is the best guarantee that "repatriation" to the Communist north will be held to the lowest possible figure, particularly if the Koreans in question can at the same time be offered alternatives of repatriation to the Republic of Korea or of continued residence in Japan with legal status. To make these alternatives available to them, however, agreement must be reached between the ROK and Japanese governments in terms which would provide for full-scale ICRC screening. The U.S. will offer to assist in obtaining "compensation" if Korea -Japan agreement on "repatriation" seems possible. The U.S. is ready to extend its good offices for resumption of talks between the Republic of Korea and Japan and an agreement should be reached without delay providing for "repatriation" of Korean residents in Japan to the Republic of Korea. The U.S. is also ready to sound out the Japanese Government regarding the willingness of the latter to conclude a "repatriation" agreement with the Korean Government immediately based on compensation for certain Korean residents in Japan probably in lump-sum payment and with full-scale ICRC participation. (END OF AMBASSADOR DOWLING 'S REMARKS)
Ambassador Dowling advised that Ambassador Yiu should approach the Japanese Foreign Minister after all arrangements were previously made, and if necessary, after the Japanese announced it was ready to resume the Korea -Japan talks. He said that by this way, the Korean Government could settle the problem evading to make clear whether or not it adheres to the principle of free choice of residence. He emphatically said that the U.S. Department of State has never been so sympathetic to Korea before this issue, and that if the Republic of Korea lose this opportunity, the Department could not but wash hands. According to Mr. Dowling, he said this not as an ambassador to the Republic of Korea, but as a close friend of Korea. He reiterated that the Korean Government take this opportunity without fail to settle once and for all the problem of Korean residents in Japan.

(OBSERVATION)

In my conversation with Ambassador Dowling, I was impressed that in U.S. view the ICRC would eventually participate in Japan 's deportation plan. Mr. Dowling, however, did not insist upon the Republic of Korea 's accepting the principle of free choice of residence, but suggested to me that our Government evade any argument about the merit or demerit of that principle. It is particularly noted that Mr. Dowling said that the U.S. is ready to offer an assistance in obtaining from Japan compensation for the Korean repatriation. Ambassador Dowling 's representation today was one of the strongest and resolute one which I have ever experienced in my tenure of office as Vice-Foreign Minister in these two years.