THE KOREAN: MISSION IN JAPAN
Tokyo

April 30, 1959

Korean Opinion on the Japan's Unilateral Decision on the So-called Group Repatriation of Korean Residents in Japan to the northern Part of Korea
(Volume III)
CONTENTS
Page
1. Statement by Foreign Minister Chung W. Cho Released on April 6, 1959 1
2. Statement Issued on April 15, 1959 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Occasion of the First Anniversary of the Opening of the Fourth Korea-Japan Conference 2
3. Gist of the Press Interview by Vice-Minister Dongjo Kim, on April 15, 1959 9
4. Press Release by Ambassador Yiu, dated April 13, 1959 12
5. Press Release by Ambassador Yiu, dated April 15, 1959 15
6. Press Release by Ambassador Yiu, dated April 28, 1959 17
Statement by Foreign Minister Chung W. Cho Released on April 6, 1959 International Committee of the Red Cross, which was requested to intervene in a Japanese plan for mass expulsion of Korean residents in Japan, recently assured the Republic of Korea that it would make no decision under present circumstances.
This cautious and fair approach of the ICRC implied that the issue of the Korean residents is of a political nature.
From the beginning, this Government has been of the consistant opinion that the status or eventual disposition of Korean nationals residing in Japan could be settled only through bilateral negotiations between the Republic of Korea and Japan.
Unfortunately, it was Japan's announcement of the deportation undertaking that led to the suspension of such negotiations at the Fourth Korea -Japan Conference.
This Government believes that it has now become necessary to creats an atmosphere in Which the two Governments may be able to find a way out of their current impasse.
If Japan agrees with us, there is no reason why the Korean and Japanese delegations cannot meet together to discuss the direct causes of the political tension between the two countries.
Through sincere, mutual efforts at resumed conference discussions, we might be able to overcome the crisis now afflicting Korea -Japan -relations. This would be especially the case if the problem of the legal status of the Korean residents in Japan were approached with complete sincerity.
The Republic of Korea believes that such a step would be not only in the interest of the two nations, but also would contribute to the unity of the free nations of the Far East.
statement Issued on April 15, 1959 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Occasion of the First Anniversary of the Opening of the Fourth Korea-Japan ConferenceOne year ago today, the Republic of Korea and Japan opened a fourth diplomatic conference in an attempt to settle their differences and to establish foundations for friendship, cooperation, and mutual trust.
Many aspects of the conflict between the two nations were an outgrowth of the 1905-45 Japanese occupation of Korea. During that tragic period, Japan cruelly oppressed the Korean people and exploited this country. 85 percent of Korean property was sequestered. Our fishermen were driven from the seas. Art and literary treasures were removed to Japan.
Millions of our people were compelled to go to Japan as forced laborers in the Japanese aggressive effort to dominate all of Asia, drive the United States from the Pacific, and make that ocean a "Japanese lake." Gold and silver reserves of our monetary system were taken away. The Korean language was prescribed, education and employment opportunities were denied. Koreans were required to give up their family names and accept those assigned by the Japanese.
With Japan 's defeat in World War II, Korea was liberated and Japan was briefly and generously occupied by American forces. Even before the occupation ended, there was awareness on the Korean side that two such close neighbors would have to adjust their relations and learn to live together in amity. The motivation for such accommodation was made more pressing by the tragic division of Korea, by the increasing threat of communism, and finally by the Communist invasion that precipitated the Korean war.
Preliminary discussion of Korea -Japan problems began even before the Japanese had fully regained their sovereignty. Since 1951, four formal conferences have been held unfortunately, as yet, without tangible results. In the first three conferences, Japan showed no disposition to negotiate sincerely or to make any amends whatsoever for the wrongs committed during the 40-year occupation period.
The third conference was broken up in October of 1953 when the Japanese chief delegate, Kanichiro Kubota, questioned the sovereignty and independence of Korea, and declared that the Japanese occupation had been beneficial to this country. The clear implication then and since has been that Japan was determined upon the re-occupation of Korea, believing that without this peninsula, Japan itself cannot survive.
From then until December 31, 1957, Japan resorted to a variety of aggressive pressures against Korea. These included:
1. Deliberate violation of the Peace Line, which was proclaimed on the numerous international precedents to protect fisheries, to prevent clashes between Koreans and Japanese, and as a defense measure against Communist infiltration, these violations led to apprehension, trial, conviction, and incarceration of Japanese fishermen.
2. Establishment of trade, social, and cultural relationships with the outlaw puppet regime in the Communist-occupied northern part of Korea. This was in defiance of Japan 's supposedly free world partnership, and of the fact that the Republic of Korea and its 16 allies of the United Nations remain in a state of war with that regime and with Red China.
3. Various threats to settle with Korea when Japan had regained sufficient military strength.
4. Incarceration of Korean nationals in concentration camps without charge, trial, or hope of release since as early as 1952. Women and children were included. More than 30 of these immates died, some under circumstances that remain inexplicable, and many have been held for years.
5. Trade discrimination in which Japan received sizable orders for goods delivered to Korea but refused to buy Korean commodities.
Japan agreed to various measures, during this period, for the relaxation of tensions, especially with regard to the detainees held by each country. None of the agreements were kept.
But with the agreement of December 31, 1957, there appeared to be renewed hope of progress. Mutual release of detainees was provided, plus the opening of the fourth conference.
Under its terms, Korea has freed all of the Japanese fishermen who had completed their sentences at that time. Japan, however, has not repatriated all of the Koreans held at the Omura Camp. More than 1000 still remain in detention, and women and children are still among their number. This is yet another violation of Japan's pledged word.
When the fourth conference opened on April 15 of 1958, Korea hoped that Japan would give evidence of sincerity and equity.
The Korean Government hoped that Japan could voluntarily agree to return properties that were illegally removed from this country, would recognize the Peace Line pending other measures to solve the fisheries' problem, would compensate those Koreans wishing to be repatriated for their years of forced labors, and would agree on the status and future of Koreans desiring to remain in Japan.
It was the conviction of Korean Government that if Japan showed such evidences of friendship and goodwill, it could go to the Korean people with recommendation that the past be forgiven and forgotten, and that Korean enter into friendly, cooperative relations with Japan.
But, instead of this, the Japanese conducted themselves as though it had been Japan which was wronged. Japanese negotiators showed little interest in anything except the elimination of the Peace Line so that Japan's fishermen could return to the very shadow of Korea's coastline.
At a time when the conference was in holiday recess, the Japanese suddenly and unilaterally announced that they would deport a large number of the Korean residents to the Communist-held northern part of Korea, and that they would call upon the International Committee of the Red Cross to determine that this was the true choice of those affected, Japan took this action in full knowledge of the fact that the Republic of Korea is at war with the Communists, and also with realization that deportation to Communism would mean the enslavement of those deported. The representations of this country were ignored, even as Communist agents were permitted to recruit, to lie, to bribe, to intimidate, and even to use physical violence against the Korean residents. Japan concealed its intentions behind a false facade of humanitarian double talk.
Japan then made representations to the ICRC at Geneva, but the Republic of Korea made the facts known to ICRC, and the Swiss organization decided to have nothing to do with such deportations on grounds they were political. Japan thereupon sought direct negotiations with representatives of the puppet regime.
Relations between Korea and Japan deteriorated rapidly. The Korean people rose in a mass protest that has involved more than ten million citizens.
Realizing that such tension endangered the peace of North-east Asia and weakened the defense posture against Communist aggression, the Korean Government on April 6 issued a statement in hope of creating a favorable atmosphere for resumption of the Korea -Japan Conference. Such discussions provide the only channel by which the present conflict could be resolved and the long-term differences settled.
To date Japan has not responded to that sincere and magnamimous overture. Instead the Japanese have entered upon negotiations with the Communists at Geneva. This also is a violation of Japanese pledges.
The Japanese Government repeatedly declared that it would not discuss the deportation with the puppet regime except through the intermediary of ICRC. But because the Communists would not accept such intervention, Japan has now proceeded with the talks on a direct basis, and according to reports from Geneva, has even dropped insistence upon ICRC screening. Those with whom the Japanese are talking have been branded as ene mies of civilized mankind. Their Korean war aggression cost the lives of millions of people and was denounced by the United Nations. Nor has this aggression been ended. Communism still seeks the destruction of the Republic of Korea, and is flooding agents south to infiltrate and subvert our free institutions. Preparations are being continued for renewed military attack. On their way to Geneva, the representatives of this Communist regime stopped over in Moscow to receive direct instructions from the Kremlin to be followed in the negotiations with Japan. The whole deportation scheme is thus revealed as part of the communist master plan for world conquest and as a major attempt to win an important propaganda victory and the de facto recognition of the regime by Japan.
Korea is at a loss to understand the true intentions of the Japanese. We cannot help but wonder whether Japan 's interest is in the peace and freedom of Asia, or whether it prefers to make common cause with the Communists in developing a new colonialism in which Tokyo, Moscow, and Peiping would share.
At the very least, Japan is committing an unfriendly act against the Republic of Korea in pursuing these talks with the Communist regime of the north. We must also construe such discussions as Japanese rejection of the generous and fair offer of the Republic of Korea to resume the Korea -Japan Conference.
Under such circumstances, the Government of the Republic of Korea can only conclude that Japan has no wish to negotiate further with this Government and that it desires to break off the Korea -Japan Conference entirely. The only alternative would be suspension of Japan 's negotiations with the puppets and the immediate reopening of the Korea -Japan discussions.
This Government must suggest to Japan, however, that suspension of the conference will leave the many Korea -Japan issues in abeyance. No means will remain open for the settlement of the Korean resident issue, the fisheries problem, and other questions which are of grave importance to Japan as well as Korea. Furthermore, the peace and security of the entire Asian region will be severely jeopardized, and especially so if Japan makes any attempt to carry out the deportation of Korean nationals in collaboration with the north Korean Communists and the Soviet Union.
Once the conference is broken off, this Government will be compelled to withdraw the generous offer that has been made to Japan.
The final opportunity given the Japanese Government to desist from its relationship with our communist enemies and to return to the Korea -Japan Conference must, of necessity, be of very short duration.
We cannot wait while Japan pursues the dual diplomacy of seeking agreement with the communists, meanwhile holding the conference in abeyance for resumption in case the communist talks are a failure.
To make Korea's position very clear, these are the immediate alternatives:
1. For Japan to break off the negotiations with the communists and return to the Korea -Japan Conference, or
2. To regard the Korea -Japan Conference as concluded, in which case Korea will consult its own interests and act accordingly.
This Government greatly regrets that Korea -Japan relations have reached a point of such tension. But it must point out that the blame lies entirely with the Japanese, whose actions are giving aid and confort to the communist enemy at a time when the danger to Korea and the free world is greater than ever.
Japan must choose and now whether it is going to abet communism and plunge Asia into turmoil, or whether it is going to join with the Republic of Korea and the free world in measures to promote democracy, freedom, and defense against communist enslavement.
Gist of the Press Interview by Vice-Minister Dong-jo Kim, on April 15t 1959 Japan is going too far in its development of relationships with the communist puppets of northern Korea. For several years the Japanese have been seeking trade with the puppets through what were described as civilian and non-official channels. This was, of course, an evasior, because the japanese Government was involved in granting passports, export licenses, and other documents.
In connection with the scheme to deport Korean residents to the north, the Japanese have gone much farther. They have now entered into direct talks with puppet representatives at Geneva, despite repeated promises not to do so except through the intermediary of the International Committee of the Red Gross.
This appears to mean that the Japanese actually are intent upon sending Koreans to communism, and that they are entering upon a policy of quasi recognition of the outlaw Pyongyang regime.
Such action and policy represent hostility not only toward the Republic of Korea, but toward the United States and the 15 other United Nations allies that fought against Communist aggression in Korea. This country is still at war, and it cannot condone activities that give material aid and comfort to the enemy.
Japan therefore must be strongly warned that if it persists in its present course, the inevitable result is a decisive break between the two countries. The Japanese must choose: They cannot enter into relations with the Communist occupied northen half of Korea and still remain friends with this Republic.
From a standpoint of Japanese self-interest, the present actions of the Japanese Government make very little sense. At the most, Japan would get rid of a few Koreans -- without payment of compensation -- and might develop a small amount of trade. Additionally, Japan would have made some monetary friends in the Communist camp.
But the price of a break with the Republic of Korea would be extremely heavy.
There could be no settlement of the status and fate of the overwhelming majority of the Korean residents. Peace Line and other fisheries issue would remain unsettled.
Negotiations for release of Japanese fishermen held at Pusan and Koreans detained at Omura could not be conducted:
There would be no avenue for approach.
The natural trading partnership that would exist between Korea and Japan could not be developed. Japan would lose in commercial orders far more than it could ever gain from the Communists.
Worst of all, the Japanese would have made a commitment to communism with all that implies. Sooner or later, it would incur the denunciation of the whole free world. Any attempt actually to deport the Korean residents could result in punitive action.
Japan must understand that the patience of this country is at an end. Either the Japanese must give up their dealings with Communism and return to the Korea -Japan Conference, or they must be prepared to accept the consequences.
The dual diplomacy of the Japanese led to the pacific war in the nineteen forties, and then to the defeat and occupation of Japan. Unless Japan awakens quickly to the realities of our time, and to the necessity for a united free world stand against the Communists, history will repeat itself, and the Japanese people and nation will suffer severely.
Korea has already proposed reopening of the conference, but the Japanese are stalling presumably to see how the talks with the puppets turn out. Such Procrastination is unacceptable to the Korean Government. The Japanese must decide, and very quickly, whether they are with us or against us. They cannot stand on a middle ground as long as our very existence is threatened by the forces of communism.
PRESS RELEASE

The Korean Mission in Japan,

April 13, 1959

Republic of Korea Ambassador Yiu Tai Ha said today the "tragedy of Tibet " should serve as a warning to the Japanese Goverment to cease dealings with the communists in Geneva and resume honorable negotiations with the ROK Government.
The Ambassador warned Japan that any agreement with the communists regarding: the future of free Koreans would be a "hostile act" because the Republic of Korea remains in a state of war with communist aggressors in the north.
It was a grave moment" in ROK -Japan relations, he said, "and the events of the next few days in Geneva may well determine relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan for generations to come."
The ambassador urged the Japanese Government to resume the Fourth Korea -Japan Overall Talks which he said were disrupted only by Japan 's decision to ignore the agenda item covering the future status of Korean residents,
The text of Ambassador Yiu's statement follows:
The events of the next few days in Geneva may well determine the relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan for generations to come.
In such a grave moment, I wish, as the representative in Japan of the Republic of Korea, to reiterate publicly the sincerity of my Government in seeking to resume those honorable and amicable negotiations which alone can solve the issues outstanding between our two countries.
The foremost of these issues today is the future of Korean residents' in Japan. It involves the fate of free men. With the tragedy of Tibet fresh in our minds, it is almost beyond belief that Japanese envoys are preparing, in Geneva, to deal with communist puppets denounced as brutal aggressors by all free peoples.
The Pyongyang puppets entrapping Japanese envoys in Geneva in a despicable web of duplicity are self-admitted servants of the puppet-masters who premised Tibetans 'freedom' and a 'new life'. The Tibetan tragedy only reinforces the warnings of my Government of the brutal conditions under communism in the northern partion of Korea.
The fate of Tibet also serves to clarify why, with the United Nations support, a state of war continues to exist between the Republic of Korea and aggressive communism in the north. Japan, a member of the United Nations, certainly is aware that any dealings with the communist enemy are a hostile act towards my Government.
In a solemn agreement dated December 31, 1957, the Japanese Government agreed that the status and future of Korean residents property belonged on the agenda in the overall talks between our two countries. But Japan abruptly announced a unilateral program to deport Koreans into communist terrorism.
Japan attempted to justify this affront my Government with repeated and unequvocal assurances that under no circumstances would there be any dealings with the communist aggressors.
Today, my Government is confronted with the evidence that even this Japanese assurance was an act of perfidity. It is matched only by the communists, who denounce the respected International Committee of the Red Cross, but connive with Japanese envoys in a attempt to use ICRC headquarters as a cloak for venial bartering over the future of free
Koreans.
My Government can only express its regret that the ICRC has been placed in such an embarassing position by the failure of the Japanese Government to discuss a political matter at a conference table with the only sovereign Government concerned.
The Republic of Korea cannot countenance a direct hostile act such as is now contemplated by the Japanese envoys in Geneva. In the interests of free world unity in the global struggle against aggressive communism, my Government has exercised extraordinary patience.
But the repeated acts of duplicity on the part of Japan are testing this patience beyond reasonable limits. It is to be hoped that the Government of Japan will review its position and respond to the efforts of my Government with that sincerity which alone can build a firm and enduring friendship between our two nations."
PRESS RELEASE

Korean Mission, Tokyo

April 15, 1959

Republic of Korea Ambassador Yiu Tai Ha today asked the Japanese Government to "publicly repudiate" the Japanese Red Cross envoys negotiating with the communists in Geneva.
Statements by the Japanese envoys, he said, were in complete opposition to official communications from the Japanese Government on the issue of the expulsion of Korean residents.
The Ambassador again urged Japan to resume the ROK -Japan Overall Talks and warned that a "dangerous rupture" in relations between the two nations must ensue "if the betrayal at Geneva continues."
Text of the statement by Ambassador Yiu follows:
The latest disclosures in Geneva of the dealings between Japanese Red Cross officials and the communist enemies of the Republic of Korea impel my Government to ask the Japanese Government publicly to repudiate such unscrupulous bartering in the future of free human beings.
Failure on the part of the Japanese Government to disown statements attributed to the Japanese Red Cross officials will serve only to lengthen the record of duplicity already straining relations between our two countries to the breaking point.
It is a matter of public record that Japan signed a firm agreement to discuss the future of Korean residents in the Overall Talks scheduled-between our two governments. Japan unilaterally broke this agreement.
It is a matter of public record, also, that, having broken this agreement, Japan stated emphatically to my Government in a note verbale, dated Feb. 13, 1959, that nothing would be done about the future of Korean residents unless the neutral ICRC confirmed "the wishes of individual Korean residents in Japan." Japanese Red Cross officials now blandly say this "is impossible" and that there would be "no screening" even by the Japanese Red Cross it self.
These same Japanese officials are even seeking to collaborate with the communist puppets in the disposal of the property of Koreans resident in Japan. 'the Japanese Government is fully aware that the Agreed Minutes signed by our two governments on December 31, 1957, provide for mutual discussion on "property to be taken by Koreans Subject to repatriation."
This public record of perfidy has involved even the ICRC itself. According to the press, the ICRC Executive Director found it necessary to protect the confusion and betrayal of confidence caused by the actions of the Japanese envoys in Geneva.
The present stability in the Far East, which Japan enjoys above all other nations, was bought with the lives of millions of Koreans and with the lives of men from 16 nations who came to fight beside the Republic of Korea.
It is inconceivable that Japan should wish to repay this sacrifice by shiping free Koreans into slavery with the connivance of a communist puppet regime.
The Republic of Korea, even at this late hour, sincerely wishes to sit down at the conference table and work out an amicable and just solution to the issues between our two countries.
But only Japan can end the impasse and avoid a dangerous rupture between two nations which are in the front line against communist expansion. The Republic of Korea calls upon Japan to weight the fact that she bears full responsibility for the grave consequence which must ensue if the betrayal at Geneva contines."
KOREAN MISSION IN JAPAN RELEASE

April 28, 1959

Republic of Korea Ambassador Yiu Tai Ha today described statements by Japanese officials on present ROK -Japan relations as "fantastic distortions" which can only retard efforts to create an atmosphere for positive solutions.
He accused Japanese delegates in Geneva of "seriously damaging" the splendid reputation of the ICRC by conniving with the communists in an attempt to create the false impression that the traditionally impartial ICRC is involved in "bartering in human lives."
The latest trick, he said, "is to talk about 'nominal' ICRC intervention in the political scheme and about the possibility of adopting a deportation list compiled by communist agents ... using lies, bribery, deception and even physical intimidation."
Countering the statement of the spokesman of the Japanese Foreign Ministry issued last night, Ambassador Yiu again urged the Japanese Government to end the abuse of the ICRC reputation and return to the conference table between Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The following is the text of Ambassador Yiu's statement:
The Japanese Foreign Office statement on Japan -Republic of Korea relations is a fantastic distortion of matters clearly on the public record. If allowed to pass uncorrected by the Japanese Government, it can serve only to retard the sincere efforts of my Government to create a more positive atmosphere for approaching mutual problems.
Once more, Japanese officials are attempting to use the respected name of the International Committee of the Red Cross as a smokescreen. The connivance of Japanese delegates and the communist puppets in Geneva is already causing serious damage to the lofty ideals and traditional impartiality of the ICRC.
Mr. Kondo describes the status and future of Korean residents as "domestic matter" of concern only to Japan. This statement, if allowed to stand, is a rejection by Japan of the internationally accepted codes acknowledging the right of all sovereign governments to protect the interests of their nationals, wherever they reside.
The 600,000 Korean residents in Japan are nationals of the Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea will not, under any form of provocations, abdicate responsibility to protect them from mass deportation into communist slavery.
The Japanese Government properly acknowledged this duty of the Republic of Korea Government by including the status and future of Korean residents in the agenda of the Fourth ROK -Japan Overall Talks. Instead of conniving with the communist puppets in an attempt to abuse the splendid services of the ICRC, Japan should take the honorable course of returning to the talks legally scheduled between us.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, quite properly, is remaining aloof from the illegal talks between the Japanese delegates and the communist enemies of my country. But the Japanese delegates are abetting the communists in a scheme to confuse public opinion; the latest trick being to talk about "nominal" ICRC intervention in the political scheme.
Public opinion in Japan must be made aware that what the Japanese delegates are talking about is giving communist agents in this country a free and unrestricted opportunity to intimidate and kidnap Koreans legally resident here.
The Japanese delegates, for instance, have abandoned even lip-service paid to the Red Cross principles. The Japanese delegates are humiliating themselves even further under communist pressure to accept a list of names compiled by communist agents as the victims of the deportation scheme.
The Japanese themselves acknowledge the lies, bribery, deception and even physical intimidation used by columnist agents to extort this list of 117,000 names.
My country has the highest conference in the ICRC and is fully aware that this humanitarian organization will never stoop to the political bartering in human lives presently pursued by the Japanese delegates and communist puppets in Geneva. But only by prompt repudiation of the illegal talks in Geneva can the Japanese Government halt the considerable damage being done to the peace in this part of the world and the principles of the ICRC as well.

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