The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-20
S. Korea Prime Minister Asks
Remaining POWs Be Set Free
General Clark
Accuses Rhee Of
Breaking Promise

BY WILLIAM c. BARNARD
SEOUL R-South Korea's acting
Prime Minister demanded that Gen
Mark Clark Immediately turn over
to his government for release
5000 anti-Communist Korean priS-
oners still held in Allied stockadeS.
And the U. N. commander re-
leased scathing letter accusing
South Koreass fiery President
Syngman Rhee of breaking a
personal commitment" in the
"precipitous and shocking" release
of $4,000 anti-Red prisoners this
week.
Rhee and his cabinet met this
morning to study singing rebuke
from President Eisenhower and
government sources said the Cabi-
net might discuss Rhee's answer.
Eisenhower accused Rhee of vio-
lating U. N. Command authority
in ordering the prisoners freed.
Forty.five more anti-Communist
Koreans fled from three u. N.
prison camps Friday night and
early Saturday. The U. N. Pris-
oner Command said nine were
recaptured.
One South Korean was killed and
one u. S. soldier was wounded at
a camp near Pusan.
South Korea'S Acting Prime Min
lister Yung Tai Pyun, in a letter
dated Thursday, demanded that
Clark turn over all anti-Red pris-
oners still in Allied hands.
1--WE must liberate them all
preferably E. IN a manner least
likely to cause trouble" he said.
And Pyun warned:
81 should like to call your at
tention to the mutual need of re.
framing from saying or doing
anything that might likely pro-
woke passions of the (Korean)
masses. which once let loose may
easily go out of control. If there
is any talk to be done, it had bet
ter be managed quietly, we be-
lieve."
Pyun's letter. written after the
mass escape of about $4,000 pris-
oners early Thursday, said "We
regret very much that several
scores of prisoners were killed and
injured by United Nations guards. 4"
About $4,000 anti.Red prisoners
fled from seven u. N. camps
Thursday night and Friday night.
South Korean guards, acting on or.
ders of President Rhee, turned
their backs as the prisoners es-
capped.
Clark told Rhee in his letter.
released in Tokyo, that he could
mot at this time estimate the ul.
innate consequence" of Rhee's ac-
ton in releasing the prisoners.
The U. N. commander said he
was profoundly shocked by this
unilateral abrogation of your per.
Sonal commitment, which was so
freely and voluntarily given j..
that you would not take unilateral
action with reference to ROK
forces under my control until aft.
er full and frank discussion with
me-"
Clark said he could not estimate
the effect on the common cause
for which we have sacrificed so
much during these past several
years"
Four marching throngs of Ko-
reanS paraded through Scouts
downtown streets, celebrating re-
lease of the prisoners. Korean civi.
ilans have been ordered by their
government to hide and feed the
prisoners.
Allied soldiers were conducting
desultory searches for the prison.
ers who have melted into South
korea'S teeming millions,
Sources close to Gen. Won Yuns
Duk, the provost marshal who
gave the actual order for releas.
ing the prisoners, said Won is act.
ing "mySteriouSly." They speculat.
ed that he might be planning
some further actions such as
fighting Indian troops il they try
to come into Korea"
India is to send troops to guard
prisoners refusing repatriation. II
and when an arnis.ice Is signed
But angry Communist negotia.
tors Saturday recessed the truce
talks indefinitely md told the Z. N.
command 70 find I'll of the missing
5000 prisoners md to control the
kOk government.