Pusan January 28,1953

My dear Mr, Minister:
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your communication of January 12, 1953. I deeply regret that the false revert regarding the conservation line, which we sometimes call the peace line, has caused Her Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom concern and misunderstanding. It is perfectly natural your government regards it necessary to make the inguiry regarding the matter.
However the President of the Republic of Korea has never issued or intended to issue such a Proclamation on any part of the high sea beyond territorial waters belonging to the Republic of Korea. It is true that some press misinterpreted the presidential proclamation, but it was at once publicly corrected in the local newspapers. If you think it necessary to have the corrected raper I will send you a copy of it. It was further stated that this conservation line has nothing whatever to do with the high sea privileges open to every nation; it concerns only the relationship between Korea and Japan regarding the fishery and other marine propucts. It is the desire of this Government to have all friendly nations know that the Japanese fishermen, believing they still have the right to exploit the economic resources of Korea as they did for the last forty years, will not stop at the territorial line, nor have they respected either the MacArthur Line or the conservation line proclaimed by this Government. In order to provide some means by which peaceful relationship between the two countries in future can be assured, such a demarcation line should be drawn so that each nation can develop marine producte on its side of the line following the example of precedent set by many Pacific nations with whom Japan signed an agreement recognizing such a line between them. I am enclosing copy of the records of Japanese fishermen who have violated such lines drawn between Korea and Japan first by General MacArthur, then by General Clark and also by the Korean Government.
We consider this highly important because of the fact that the Japanese fishermen continue their habit of aggression, militarily, politically and economically. The Korean people who are striveng to protect the means of their livelihood will not tolerate and the result may be a clash between the two nations any time which will create a very serions situation. It is our earnest request that if Her Majesty's Government are interested in maintaining peaceful relations among all Pacific nations, they should exert their good offices in advising the Japanese to realize the necessity of some such line in order to establish and maintain peaceful relationship between Korea and Japan.
I hope this explanation will suffice to clarify the situation. If further information is necessary, kindly let us know.

Yours sincerely,

 

Chung W. Cho

Acting Foreign Minister

Enclosure:
1. Lists of the Japanese fishing crafts that violated the conservation line.
2. A copy of the Presidential Proclamation