The international Committee of Red Cross

Geneva, August 7, 1959

Dear Mr. President,
I have the honour to acknowledge and to thank you for your letter of June 16, 1959.
The International Committee of the Red Cross recently had the privilege of receiving a visit from Dr. Helen Kim, Vice-President of the Red Cross of the Republic of korea, who gave us a very clear picture of your Society's views on the various humanitarian problems with which your country is concerned, and which have been laid before us. It was a great honour for us to have this opportunity of discussing these matters with an eminent person such as Dr. Helen Kim and of giving her a better knowledge of our institution and our work.
The International Committee has since taken a decision on the important matter which was the reason for your vice-president's visit to Geneva and I wish to inform of it.
The ICRC has decided to afford its services to the Japanese Red Cross with a view to the repatriation of Korean residents in Japan who express the wish to go to a place of their choice in their country of origin.
In reaching this decision, the International Committee took into account that the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had expressed its willingness to receive Koreans who wish to proceed to north Korea, and that the Government of Japan had decided to authorise these repatriations. It is not for the Committee to express an opinion on the agreement reached on June 24, 1959, between the Red Cross of Japan and the Red Cross of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, but it has ascertained that each of these National Red Cross Societies has recognised and accepted
the principle of the freedom for Koreans wishing to return to their country to choose a place of residence. Further, the ICRC has given attention, not only to the conditions whereby the free choice of the persons concerned would be guaranteed, but also to the position of Koreans who decide to remain in Japan. At its request, it has received formal assurance from Japan on this subject.
Lastly, as the Government of the Republic of Korea had informed us of its decision to receive Koreans wishing to leave Japan and take up residence in south Korea, it appeared to us that there remained no obstacle to the carrying out of the repatriation.
This measure -- which we had taken the liberty to propose to the Delegates of the Republic of Korea present in Geneva -seems to us of great humanitarian significance. For when Koreans resident in Japan are called upon to state, of their own free will, their choice of residence (to proceed to North or South Korea or to remain in Japan ) they will thus have the possibility of seeing their wishes fulfilled. The task of the International Committee will be facilitated when it undertakes, in Japan, the verification of the free choice offered to the persons concerned. We hope that it will also be possible to reach an agreement for the organization of these repatriation.
In conclusion, the ICRC has formed the conviction that far from being harmfull to the persons concerned its participation in the matter would be likely to facilitate the conditions in which their choice will be made. It was precisely in order to prevent any person from being repatriated against his will that the ICRC considered that it should be present in Japan when the time comes for carrying out the repatriations decided upon by the Government of Japan.

Yours sincerely,

Leopold Boissier

Mr. Chang Whan Sohn
President, Republic of Korea National Red Cross, Seoul .