CHANG’S PLANS FOR KOREA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29518, 20 May 1961, Page 11

CHANG’S PLANS FOR KOREA

“ Military Rule As Brief As Possible” IX2. Press Assn.—Copyright) SEOUL, May 19. lhe leaders of the military junta that has seized power in South Korea today outlined part of its programme for strengthening defences against communism, eliminating corruption and improving the welfare of the Korean people. Lieutenant-General Do Yung Chang told a press conference that his 32-member revolutionary committee would exercise supreme power for an indefinite period, although certain existing civilian agencies would continue to function, the British United Press reported.

General Chang said the committee would try to keep the period of military rule as short as possible, but he did not give any indication of how long this might be.

VIEW OF U.S.

New Regime Recognised

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyrigh t) WASHINGTON, May 18.

The United States Acting Secretary of State (Mr Chester Bowles) said today that he thought the United States would extend diplomatic recognition to the new military regime in South Korea. He made the comment to reporters after a private meeting with members of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee. He said the United States could hardly cheer at the overthrow of a constitutional government, but added that the new regime “no matter how unconstitutional, is antiCommunist and pro-Ameri-can.”

“The military leaders are strongly anti-Communist and pro-American. Of course, when you upset constitutional governments any time and anywhere, there is bound to be concern about it.” He added that the United States must face up to the fact that “we cannot run the world,” and should concentrate on “helping societies which offer a maximum freedom of choice to their people.”

The South Korean Ambassador to the United States told a press conference on Tuesday that he supported the Government of Dr. John Chang. Today he announced his resignation. Making the announcement, the Ambassador said: "The position we took remained unchanged and so we both turned in our resignations.”

South African Bill.— The General Law Amendment Bill, which will give the South African Government extended powers to deal with "trouble makers" had its third reading in the Senate yesterday.—(Cape Town. May 19).

He said the committee would organise a new civilian administration, answerable to the committee but he did not elaborate on whether this would be a civilian Cabinet.

He did say. however, that “the legislative procedures will naturally be abolished.” General Chang said a step had already been taken to implement the committee's announced policy of anticommunism. He said about 930 Communists or suspected Communists had been arrested. Each of them would be investigated and either released or severely punished.

General Chang said the military regime would severely punish any Communist sympathiser who talked of “progressive reformation.” Questioned about the regime s policy on the unification issue, General Chang said efforts would be made to build up South Korea until it became superior to North Korea in every field. “This is one of the most important objectives of the revolution,” he said. Informed sources in Seoul said the revolutionary council planned to call the National Assembly into session tomorrow, probably to approve a civilian Cabinet to be appointed by the council and to vote itself out of existence. The revolutionary council last Tuesday proclaimed it had disbanded the National Assembly. Informed sources said there was no hope of retaining the National Assembly. Sources close to the revolutionary council said Lieu-tenant-General Yung Hoon Kang, commandant of the Military Academy, had been placed under detention for reluctance yesterday to lead a parade of Military Academy cadets through the streets in support of the council.

The detention of Lieuten-ant-General Han Lim Lee. commander of front-line troops, has not been denied by the council this morning.

Jeff Chandler lll.— The American actor Jeff Chandler, 42, was reported to be in a critical condition late last night after an emergency operation for a slipped disc.— (Culver City. California. May 19).

General Lee’s detention was reported yesterday. The military committee was assured today that United States aid to South Korea would continue. The United States aid mission in Seoul told officials of the Ministry of Reconstruction that the aid programmes would remain as they had been under the Government of Dr. John Chang, the former Prime Minister. General Chang had said earlier that the military had maintained the closest relations with the Americans. “Therefore, now that the military has come out to take charge of national affairs, I am firmly convinced that the Americans will support and co-operate with us as they did in the past,” he said.

The Soviet armed forces newspaper, “Red Star,” said today that it seemed “very probable” that the military coup in South Korea was “the result of a secret plot between South Korean and United States extreme reactionary politicians and generals.” Reuter reported from Moscow.

The newspaper said that the coup’s organisers "wanted to remove the previous Government, which had turned out to be incapable of bringing order to the country, and set up a military dictatorship to prevent a flare-up of popular wrath which had been building up.”