Evening star., 1953-06-19
Rhee's Shocker

by President Syngman Rhee Of the Republic of
Korea. Although it will not keep the Com
munistS from signing truce If they really want
one, his astonishing unilateral release of 25 900
prisoners of war amounts to an act Of open
rebellion against the authority Of the American
directed United Nations Command to which his
government has solemnly pledged itself. Worse
still, the act strongly. suggests that he and his
chief ieutenants are not voicing empty threats
when they say that ROK forces will fight on alone
against the enemy even If an armistice is
reached at Panmunjom.
OF course, as result Of DR.. Rhee's essen
TALLY reckless move, the Communists
our Governments denunciation Of that move
and despite Secretary Dulles reaf1rmation OF
the U. MS good faith at Panmunjom-may now
refuse truce on the ground that they cannot
trust our allied intentions. If that happens,
then the war will drag on in one form or
another, but with what sort Of morale on our
side? For example, how will the American GI
feel about continuing the fight merely because
the ROK leaders, in defiance OF the United
Nations Command, have acted to wreck what
the United Nations Command itself has wanted?
After having been told to expect near-future
cease-fire, what heart will this soldier have for
further battle resulting solely from South
Korean intransigence? Certainly, it will be
hard to blame him If he is less than enthusiastic
in such circumstances.
On the other hand, assuming that they are
genuinely anxious to stop the shooting, it Is not
improbable that the Communists will accept
the POW liberation as fait accompli and agree
to an armistice after some delay for propaganda
purposes. But what II the South Korean leaders
carry out their threat to ignore the cease-f1re
and "go it alone? What If DR.. Rhee adheres
to his apparent rejection Of President Eisen-
howers personal appeal for acceptance of the
truce terms? What then? When and If we
and our U. N. allies sign those terms, we will
be committed to enforce them. But how will
we carry out such commitment If the ROK
troops-who hold about go per cent OF the front
line-really give battle to the enemy? 1t is
easy to say, Of course, thatSthey are completely
dependent on us for supplies and that we need
merely remind them of that to bring them to
their senses. Yet what If they fight on any
how, if only for few weeks?. Will we try to
stop them with our guns, or will we just stand
idly by and let the Reds chew them up and
tear through the strategically vital area they
now hold?
These are but few of the questions raised
by DR.. Rhee's intranSigence, and they speak for
themselves as evidence that he Is in position
to drive hard bargains For it is quite obvious,
because of the security needs of our own forces
in South Korea and because of that countrys
important hanking relationship to Japan's de-
fense, that we can no more afford to let the
ROKS be chewed up than we can afford to let
them torpedo an armistice If one is signed.
That is the sum of the dilemma confronting us
and our U. N. allies, and unless the leaders of
the Seoul government can be persuaded that
their present policy is carrying gallantry to the
most dangerous extremes Of folly and irrespon-
sbility, it is dilemma that can have deadly
consequences for everybody but the Commu-
niStS. ..
True enough, it can be argued with cogency
but by no means with certainty-that the
United States and the U. N. Command have
gravely erred in deciding to seek decent
Korean settlement through an armistice and
political conference rather than through the
price that would have to be paid in an all-out
effort to win peace with great military victory.
However, although history may prove that to
be so the fact remains that the decision has
been made for better or worse and is virtually
irrevocable at the present juncture. Clearly,
though his feelings are understandable and
deserve sympathy, this is a fact that Dr. Rhee
can continue to ignore only at the risk Of further
imperiling his tormented people and vitiating
all the good work he has done for his country
and the free world