CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
FOREIGN SERVICE DESPATCH
| FROM | : | AMERICAN EMBASSY PUSAN |
| TO | : | THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON |
| REF | : | EMBASSY DESPATCH 179, NOVEMBER 14 AND DEPT'S TELEGRAM 365, NOVEMBER 27, 1952 |
INCIDENT REGARDING ALLEGED BOMBING OF DOKDO ISLAND (LIANCOURT ROCKS)
There is enclosed for the Department's records a copy of the Embassy's note no. 187 of December 4, 1952 in reply to the note from the Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated November 10, 1952 on the subject mentioned above. The Embassy's note was based on information provided by the Chief of Staff, Far East Command, in a letter dated November 27, 1952, a copy of which is transmitted herewith as enclosure no. 2 and the Embassy's reply thereto (Enclosure no. 3). The final paragraph of the note incorporates the language suggested by the Department in the telegram under reference.
FOR THE AMBASSADOR:
E. Allan Lightner, Jr.
Counselor of Embassy
| Enclosures: | 1. Note no. 187 to ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs, December 4, 1952 |
| 2. Letter from Lt. Gen. Hickey, November 27, 1952 | |
| 3. Letter to Lt. Gen. Hickey, December 4, 1952 |
Copy to: American Embassy, Tokyo
REPORTEREALightnerJr/ic
CONFIDENTIAL SECURITY INFORMATION
322 - LIANCOURT ROCKS - 1953
No. 187
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has the honor to refer to the latter's note of November 10, 1952 stating that a single engined airplane described as being under the command of the United States in the Far East dropped bombs on Dokdo Island on September 15, 1952. The Embassy is advised that the limited amount of information provided in the Ministry's note as well as the very long time which has elapsed since the incident is said to have taken place make it virtually impossible for the United Nations Command to determine the facts in the case. Preparations have, however, been expedited to dispense with the use of Dokdo Island as a bombing range.
The Embassy has taken note of the statement contained in the Ministry's Note that "Dokdo Island (Liancourt Rocks)...is a part of the territory of the Republic of Korea". The United States Government's understanding of the territorial status of this islands was stated in Assistant Secretary of State Dean Rusk's note to the Korean Ambassador in Washington dated August 10, 1951.
American Embassy,
- Pusan, December 4, 1952
RHBushner/ie
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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