COMITE INTERNATIONAL
DE LA CROIX-RCUGE
LE PRESIDENT

Geneva, December 12, 1956

Dear Mr. President,
We have the honour to refer to the previous correspondence with your Society concerning Korean nationals residing in Japan and in Korea itself, who wish to find a home of their choice on Korean soil.
We are sending you herewith a memorandum of the International Committee of Red Cross addressed to the three National Red Cross Societies ' concerned.

Yours sincerely,

Leopold BOISSIER

Mr. Chang Whan Sohn,
President,
The Republic of Korea National Red Cross, 32-3 Ka, Nam San Dong, Seoul
COMITE INTERNATIONAL DE LA CROIX-ROUGE
NOTE
On July 16, 1956, the International Committee of the Red Cross sent a note to the Red Cross Societies of the Republic of Korea, Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, regarding the position of those Koreans - residing in Japan or in Korea itself - who wished to find a home of their choice on Korean soil.
In that note the International Committee stated that:
The International Committee,... can never intervene in any matter, except on a humanitarian level, or in other words, it is guided solely in its action by the humane interests of the individuals concerned."
and added:
... if its intervention were agreed to by all the parties on whom the solution of the problem finally depended, it could make a practical contribution towards finding that solution by helping to ascertain which of the Koreans in question wished to change their domicile and where each of them wished to go.
In the letter accompanying the International Committee 's note to the three Societies concerned, it explained that:
It is not our Red Cross organizations, but quite clearly the governmental authority in each of the countries concerned, which have the power to take the necessary decisions to implement the practical proposal we have submitted. We should therefore be most grateful if you would be good enough to bring the enclosed note to the kind attention of your Government."
The replies received to this first communication convinced the International Committee of the Red Cross that it would be better if practical steps to solve the problem were studied at a meeting of the three Societies in questicn and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It suggested this procedure, therefore, in its letter of August 15, 1956.
The International Committee of the Red Cross received in reply two acceptances and one refusal. The latter was based on the opinion that it was for the Governments to find a solution, as some political problems were involved.
The International Committee of the Red Cross takes note of this statement of opinion.
Nevertheless, the International Committee of the Red Cross wishes with all due solemnity to remind the Authorities responsible for the lot of these persons that their right of free choice must be respected and the position quickly regularized. It believes that from a humanitarian point of view the departure of these people for the home of their choice on Korean soil should be delayed on longer.
In this connection the International Committtee of the Red Cross realises that for practical purposes only Governments have the powers to authorize the movement of persons from one State to another.
The freedom to change his residence or to return to his home land should remain the inalienable right of every human being.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, therefore, recommends to the Governments concerned that the necessary measures be taken to carry out the wishes already expressed, or which may be expressed in the future, by the persons concerned. For its part it is ready to act as intermediary to facilitate the necessary arrangements between the authorities or the bodies entrusted with the practical implementation of this now urgent task.
The International Committee of the Red Cross requests the Red Cross Societies of the Republic of Korea, Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to bring this note to the knowledge of their Governments for necessary action.
Geneva, December 12, 1956.