Evening star., 1945-10-04
Letters to The Star
Spokesman of Korean Commission
Deplores Dissection Policy

To the Editor Of The Star:
May / offer you my thanks for your
spleidid editorials on Korea? I am sure
the American people also are grateful
thus to be enlightened on subject that
looms so large in the East. The dis
patches from your correspondents in
Seoul give me not only accurate facts
but also arouse in me keen memories
of my loved ones.
Korea is genuinely grateful to America
and her allies for liberating her from
barbarous Japan. She Is determined
to cooperate in every way possible with
the United Nations to help keep the
peace in the Orient. Meanwhile, there
are several problems to be solved in the
reorlentat1on OF Korea, not the least of
which Is to preserve the invaluable
homogenuity of that ancient nation. Be-
side an early realization of freedom and
independence, a wholesome respect for
that priceless heritage of AZ centuries
will insure peace in Korea.
The Korean problem is simple one.
She has been fighting the japanese ever
since 1905. In 1919 a nation-w wide revolt
established in Seoul the provisional gov
ernment OF the Republic of Korea, at
the sacrifice of thousands of lives Hun
dreds of thousands of other patriotic
men and women were imprisoned, tor
tured and starved throughout the coun-
try by the japanese.
Korean Government Recognized.
For 26 years this provisional govern
ment, exiled in China, has been func-
tioning, supported by the Korean people.
The Chinese government under Gener-
alissimo Chang Kai-shek gave it de
facto recognition as well as material aid.
In 1914 the French government ten
dered it de facto recognition also.
The 30,000,000 Korean people wanted
this government of theirs returned to
Korea, with the recognition and aid of
the United States soon after Pearl Har-
Dor. Three days after the japanese at
tack on America, the Korean proyi-
sional government formally declared war
against Japan. 1t asked the United
States for recognition and for some
small arms so that it's underground
might the more effectively fight the
common enemy, Japan.
None of the hopes of the Korean gov
ernment and people in these specific
matters have been realized. The expert
enced counsels of their venerable lead
ers, which materially would have helped
the Allied cause from the beginning of
the war, have fallen on deaf ears. The
Koreans have been told that their
revered supreme authority the Korean
provisional government, was but "one
of the Korean groups"
However, these things have now gone
into the past. The Koreans are grateful
for their liberation from the japanese.
Their task is to work for a wholesome
future. Their greatest ambition Is to
build for their country democratic
form of government modelled after
Americas. Christianity is their religious
yearning. Jealous preservation of their
homogeneous character Is essential for
such a task.
Out of blue sky. however, Korea
has been bisected arbitrarily. Thirty
thousand Korean Communists from
abroad swiftly flooded the northern half
of the country Immediately after the
Japanese capitulation. They already
have begun u infiltrate to the south.
Dissection Called a Crime.
This unhealthy condition is bound to
and social tranquility. The deliberate.
artificial and brutal dissection of that
peace-loving nation is crime. Imagine,
If you can. a division of the American
republic along the Mason Dixon line to-
day, the north occupied by Russia and
the south by Britain, even for month!
How would the Americans feel? What
would happen to their national life?
Korea has fought against democracy S
mortal enemy, Japan, for 40 years.
She does not deserve such an evil. A
sense of simple decency cries out that
this appalling wrong be righted forth
with. If there is to be peace In the
Far East, the whole of homogeneous
Korea must become bulwark of demo-
cracy, not an arena of theological COL
lisions. Korea always will fight to at
tain justice.
1t is most heartening, therefore, to
have President Trumans recent state
ment pledging to adjust the present
difficulties in Korea and to bring into
being truly independent government
in that nation. His great statesman
ship is reassuring.
Korea, as always, reposes a deep,
answering faith in Americas integrity
and promise.
COL, REM G ITMp