전문 (462) - 일본인 관리들의 한국 활동에 대한 허위기사

DEPARTMENT OF STATE INCOMING TELEGRAM RESTRICTED FROM: Seoul Control 5862 TO: Secretary of State Rec'd June 16, 1948 NO: 462, June 16 11:34 p.m. PRIORITY FROM CONGEN USAFIK TO STATE DEPT INFO JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, CINCFE CITE ZPOL 6554. HODGE SENDS FOR JACOBS. For past ten days beginning with report from Pusan that certain Mitsuda, former Japanese Director Finance in Korea, had been seen there, practically every newspaper has carried articles about incident and number of Japanese involved has grown from one to seven, (*) of whom were formerly important Japanese officials in Korea. To this rumor has now been joined (*) United States is using Japanese to suppress disorders on Cheju Island. Accordingly, General Hodge today issued statement to counteract these false stories, text of which is being transmitted in next numbered telegram. Investigation reveals that this story began as fabrication of Communist reporter in Pusan who disappeared when police started their investigation. In Seoul, hue and cry was taken up by Korean Reporters Association which is group of Leftist or Communist reporters who on June 10 published in press an "open questionaire" to General Hodge on subjects which led to aforementioned statement by the General. This incident reveals very clearly two things: First, insidious sort of propaganda which Communists stooges in South Korea engage in, and second, susceptibility of Koreans to any return of Japanese to Korea, a fact apparently y well known to Russians. As such information may be of interest to Department, ≤ following are names of former Japanese officials who have been mentioned: Mitsuda, former Director of Finance. Shiobara, former Director of Education. Oka, former Police Chief Kyunggi Do. Sedo, former Governor Kyunggi Do. Ariga, former President Chosen Industrial Bank. Kimichima, former Vice President Chorun Bank. Kobayashi, former President Kobayashi Mining Company. JACOBS Note: (*) Omission - correction to be furnished by War Department