August 24, 1959

Dr. R. Gallopin
Executive Director
International Committee of the Red Cross Geneva, Switzerland
Dear Sir:
Thank you very much for your letter of August 12 last and the enclosed document on the ICRC and the question of Koreans in Japan.
We now know about the circumstances which decided your Committee's final attitude in regard to the question of Koreans in Japan and at the same time, we deeply appreciate the sincere efforts of your Committee up to now and sincerely hope that there is no one among Koreans in Japan who will make a mistake in deciding their living problem by misinformation or political stratagem.
As far as I know, the Government of the Republic of Korea has expressed its wish to encourage your Committee to make arrangement for the mass repatriation of Koreans in Japan who wish to go to the home country.
In order to prevent future distress of repatriation, we are going to appeal to the ICRC as follows;
We are anxious to have this problem realized as soon as possible in accordance with ICRC arrangement. When the negotiations on the condition of repatriation between the Government of the Republic of Korea and Japan or its Red Cross has been made, then the ICRC should inform and publicize the conditions to the Koreans in Japan. At this time civilian representatives of both South and North Korea should have equal opportunity to explain the conditions in detail to Korean people, and then let them make a choice freely of their future place of residence. They would then have choice of remaining permanently in Japan, going to South Korea, and to North Korea or to some other country of their choice in the free world.
In the second place, the Korea-Japan, talks on the whole problem, including the repatriation of Koreans in Japan, started formally again to-day at Tokyo. It would seem most wise and prudent to wait the results of these talks. Therefore we plead that the ICRC should withhold participation in the proceedings, or suspend the plan of deportation of Koreans in Japan (which was one-sidedly made between Japan and North Korea ) until these talks are concluded.
Finally, after the matter of repatriation has been satisfactorily settled, we plead most sincerely that the ICRC should set up a liaison office in North Korea to continue to investigate the resettlement and living conditions and arrangement of vocation of these repatriated people, and arrange that any of these repatriates who at a later date wish to choose a place of residence in another land may be free to do so.
We await in a great expectation the outcome of the activities of ICRC and pray the blessings of God, the Creator of history may abundantly be upon you and your Committee.
On behalf of the National Christian Council of Korea,

Yours very sincerely,

Ho Choon Yu

CC: Dr. E. H. S. Chandler
Associate Director
Division of Inter-Church Aid and Service to Refugees of WCC
Dr. O. Frederick Nolde
Director
Commission of the Churches on International Affairs
Rev. Takeshi Mute
President
National Christian Council of Japan