Statement by the Deputy Representative of the United States, Ernest A. Gross, Before the U.N. Security Council, June 25, 19501

[Extract]

At 4 o'clock in the morning of Sunday, 25 June, Korean time, armed forces from North Korea commenced an unprovoked assault against the territory of the Republic of Korea. This assault was launched by ground forces along the 38th parallel and the Ongjin, Kaesong, and Chunchon sectors, and by amphibious landings in the east coast in the vicinity of Kangnung. In addition, North Korean aircraft have attacked and strafed Kimpo airport in the outskirts of the capital city of Seoul.

The facts and a general outline of the situation have now been reported by the United Nations Commission on Korea, and are reflected in document S/1496,2 to which the President has referred. Under these circumstances, this wholly illegal and unprovoked attack by North Korean forces, in the view of my Government, constitutes a breach of the peace and an act of aggression. This is clearly a threat to international peace and security. As such, it is of grave concern to my Government.

It is a threat which must inevitably be of grave concern to the Governments of all peace-loving and freedom-loving nations. A full-scale attack is now going forward in Korea. It is an invasion upon a State which the United Nations itself, by action of its General Assembly, has brought into being. It is armed aggression against the Government elected under United Nations supervision. Such an attack strikes at the fundamental purposes of the United Nations Charter. Such an attack openly defies the interest and authority of the United Nations. Such an attack, therefore, concerns the vital interest which all the Member nations have in the Organization. The history of the Korean problem is well known to the members of the Council. At this critical hour I shall not review that history in detail.

May I be permitted to recall just a few of the milestones in the development of the Korean situation? A Joint Commission of the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics sought unsuccessfully, for two years, to agree at ways and means of bringing to Korea the independence which we assumed would

1U.N. doc. S/PV.473, as printed in United States Policy in the Korean Crisis, 1950 (Department of State publication 3922, July 1950), pp. 13-15, contains the complete text, including the draft resolution.

2 Supra.

automatically come when Japan was defeated. This two-year deadlock prevented 38 million people in Korea from getting the independence which it was agreed was their right. My Government, thereupon, sought to hold a Four Power Conference, at which China and the United Kingdom would join the United States and the Soviet Union in seeking agreement on the independence of Korea. The Soviet Union rejected that proposal.

The United States then asked the General Assembly to consider the problem. The Soviet Union opposed that suggestion. The General Assembly, in resolution 112 (II) of 14 November 1947, created the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea. By that resolution, the General Assembly recommended the holding of elections not later than 31 March 1948 to choose representatives with whom the Commission might consult regarding the prompt attainment of freedom and independence for the Korean people. These elected representatives would constitute a national assembly and establish a national government of Korea. The General Assembly further recommended that, upon the establishment of a national government, that government should, in consultation with the Commission, constitute its own national security forces and dissolve all military or semimilitary formations not included therein. The General Assembly recommended that the national government should take over the functions of government from the Military Command and from the civilian authorities of the North and South, and arrange with the occupying Powers for the complete withdrawal from Korea of their armed forces, as early as practicable and, if possible, within ninety days.

Elections were held in South Korea and the Commission observed them. A Government in South Korea was set up as a result of the elections observed by the Commission. The Commission was unable to enter North Korea because of the attitude of the Soviet Union.

The United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea, in its report to the third session of the General Assembly,' stated that not all the objectives set forth for it had been fully accomplished and that, in particular, unification of Korea had not yet been achieved. Notwithstanding the frustrations and the difficulties which the Temporary Commission had experienced in Korea, the General Assembly, at its third session, in resolution 195 (III)2 continued the Commission's existence and requested it to go on with its efforts to bring North and South Korea together.

1 General Assembly Official Records: Third Session, Supplement No. 9 (A/575, Add. 1, 2, 3, and 4).

2 Dec. 12, 1948 (ante).

One aspect of resolution 195 (III) adopted by the third session of the General Assembly should, I feel, be particularly emphasized. The General Assembly declared that a lawful government had been established in Korea as a result of the elections observed by the Commission, and declared further that this was the only lawful government in Korea. This is a most significant fact. The General Assembly declared further that the Government of Korea was based on elections which were a valid expression of the free will of the electorate of that part of Korea, and which were observed by the United Nations Commission. In the light of this declaration, my Government, on 1 January 1949, extended recognition to the Government of the Republic of Korea, and more than thirty States have, since that time, also accorded recognition to that Government.

The United Nations Commission worked toward the United Nations objectives of the withdrawal of occupying forces from Korea, the removal of the barriers between the regions of the North and the South and the unification of that country under a representative government freely determined by its people.

In 1949, as in 1948, the Commission's efforts to attain access to North Korea, which included direct intercourse with the Northern authorities and endeavours to negotiate through the Government of the U.S.S.R. were fruitless. The Commission was unable to make progress either towards the unification of Korea or toward the reduction of barriers between the Republic of Korea and the Northern authorities. The Commission reported to the General Assembly that the border of the 38th parallel was becoming a scene of increasingly frequent exchanges of fire and armed raids, and that this constituted a serious barrier to friendly intercourse among the people of Korea. The Commission observed the withdrawal of United States forces, which was completed on 19 June 1949. Although it signified its readiness to verify the fact of the withdrawal of the occupation forces of the Soviet Union from North Korea, the Commission received no response to its message to the U.S.S.R., and, therefore, could take no action.

At its fourth session, the General Assembly, in resolution 293 (IV) adopted on 21 October 1949, again directed the Commission to "seek to facilitate the removal of barriers to economic, social and other friendly intercourse caused by the division of Korea". The General Assembly also authorized the Commission "in its discretion to appoint observers, and to utilize the services and good offices of one or more persons, whether or not representatives on the Commission".

The United Nations Commission on Korea is presently in Seoul, and we have now received its latest report.

I have submitted a draft resolution [S/1497] which notes the Security Council's grave concern at the invasion of the Republic of Korea by the armed forces of North Korea. This draft resolution calls upon the authorities in the north to cease hostilities and to withdraw their armed forces to the border along the 38th parallel. It requests that the United Nations Commission on Korea observe the withdrawal of the North Korean forces to the 38th parallel and keep the Security Council informed on the implementation and execution of the resolution. The draft resolution also calls upon all Members of the United Nations to render every assistance to the United Nations in the carrying out of this resolution, and to refrain from giving assistance to the North Korean authorities.

Resolution of the U.N. Security Council Calling for a Cease-Fire and Withdrawal of Troops to the 38th Parallel, June 25, 19501

The Security Council

Recalling the finding of the General Assembly in its resolution of 21 October 1949 that the Government of the Republic of Korea is a lawfully established government "having effective control and jurisdiction over that part of Korea where the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea was able to observe and consult and in which the great majority of the people of Korea reside; and that this Government is based on elections which were a valid expression of the free will of the electorate of that part of Korea and which were observed by the Temporary Commission; and that this is the only such Government in Korea";

Mindful of the concern expressed by the General Assembly in its resolutions of 12 December 1948 and 21 October 1949 of the consequences which might follow unless Member States refrained from acts derogatory to the results sought to be achieved by the United Nations in bringing about the complete independence and unity of Korea; and the concern expressed that the situation described by the United Nations Commission on Korea in its report menaces the safety and well being of the Republic of Korea and of the people of Korea and might lead to open military conflict there;

Noting with grave concern the armed attack upon the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea,

1 U.N. doc. S/1501, June 25, 1950.

Determines that this action constitutes a breach of the

peace,

I. Calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities; and

Calls upon the authorities of North Korea to withdraw forthwith their armed forces to the thirty-eighth parallel;

II. Requests the United Nations Commission on Korea

(a) To communicate its fully considered recommendations on the situation with the least possible delay;

(b) To observe the withdrawal of the North Korean forces to the thirty-eighth parallel; and

(c) To keep the Security Council informed on the execution of this resolution;

III. Calls upon all Members to render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution and to refrain from giving assistance to the North Korean authorities.

Message From the Korean National Assembly to the U.N. General Assembly, June 26, 1950

1

Beginning in the early morning of 25 June the North Korean Communist Army began armed aggression throughout the 38th parallel area. For self-protection our brave and patriotic army and navy opened heroic defense operations. This savage and unlawful act of the rebel force is the commission of an unpardonable sin. We, representing 30,000,000 Koreans, hope the United Nations General Assembly realizes that our defensive fight against aggression is the inevitable reaction of our people and Government. We also appeal for your immediate and effective steps to secure peace and security not only for Korea but also for the peace-loving people of the world.

1 Sent through the U.N. Commission on Korea at Seoul. Text from United States Policy in the Korean Crisis, 1950 (Department of State publication 3922, July 1950), p. 17.