Cable, Amembassy Seoul to Secretary of Defense, November 1, 1991, Subject: Consultations in Seoul, Secret
National Security Archive
While redactions make a firm determination difficult, what is known about the broader context suggests that this cable from Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Wolfowitz to Ambassador Gregg reflects challenges the Bush I administration faced in easing South Korea's concerns about the U.S. security
Source: Cable, Amembassy Seoul to Secretary of Defense, November 1, 1991, Subject: Consultations in Seoul, Secret Date: Oct 1, 1991 Collection: Engaging North Korea: Evidence from the Bush I Administration Nov 8, 2017
[SECRET]
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PP PP [illegible] BBBBB
4112
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USDP:ISA//
AMEMBASSY SEOUL
INFO USFK SEOUL KOR
S E C R E T SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE PERSONAL FOR
AMBASSADOR GREGG; INFO GENERAL RISCASSI FROM USDP PAUL
WOLFOWITZ
SUBJECT: CONSULTATIONS IN SEOUL {U}
- [illegible] DON. I SHARE KIM CHONG HWI'S DISMAY [Redaction] I AM ALSO VERY ANGRY, AS I ASSUME HE IS, ABOUT THE MISREPRESENTATION OF WHAT TOOK PLACE IN OUR NEW YORK MEETING.
- [illegible] ON THE MATTER OF CONSULTATIONS, HOWEVER, AS I RECALL, YOU WENT IN TO SEE KIM ONE WEEK BEFORE THE MOST RECENT PRESIDENT'S LETTER ARRIVED AT THE BLUE HOUSE. I SHARE YOUR FEELING THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN USEFUL TO PROCEED MORE SLOWLY, BUT I DO THINK WE GAVE THEM A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
- [illegible] THAT SAID, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME TO SEOUL FOR
FURTHER CONSULTATIONS--OR TO MEET KIM SOMEWHERE ELSE--BUT THE
TIMING IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AT THE MOMENT, PARTICULARLY WITH
USDP:FILE
USDP:EAP
DECLASSIFIED BY DASD(NM), DOS +
OUSD(P)
DATE 02 OCT 2017
FOIA CASE # 12-F-1306
DRAFTER:COL WOON, OSD/ISA, 77757
Paul Wolfowitz
NOV -1 1991
RELEASER
JSISC ALTERNATE MESSAGEFORM
SECRETDECLASSIFIED 13-M-4329 DASD(NM) 5 U.S.C. §552 (b)(1); E.O. 13526 §1.4(d)
SECRET 02 03 PP PP [illegible] BBBBB 4112 THE NATO SUMMIT IN ROME NEXT WEEK. 4. [illegible] MOREOVER, I DO NOT BELIEVE I HAVE ENOUGH YET TO SAY ON THE MATTERS OF CONCERN TO KIM CHONG HUI, AND I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE HERE TO PUSH THOSE DECISIONS FORWARD SO THEY WILL BE READY FOR SECRETARY CHENEY'S TRIP TO SEOUL. PLEASE TELL KIM THAT I KNOW HE IS EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN MORE DETAILS ON SOME SORT OF COMPREHENSIVE CONVENTIONAL ENHANCEMENTS [illegible] ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT BELIEVE "COMPENSATION" IS NECESSARY, WE DO TAKE SERIOUSLY ANY SIGNAL THAT COULD BE ERRONEOUSLY INTERPRETED BY BOTH THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH REGARDING THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMITMENT; AND WE BELIEVE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONVENTIONAL STEPS THAT WILL NOT ONLY REINFORCE DETERRENCE BUT ALSO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON NORTH KOREA TO DEAL WITH THE NUCLEAR PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THERE IS LITTLE I CAN TELL THE KOREANS AT THIS POINT, WE ARE WORKING TO GET A PACKAGE TOGETHER BY THE TIME OF THE SCM/MCM, AND IF WE DO, WE CAN TRY TO GET SOME INFORMATION OUT TO KIM RIGHT BEFORE THAT. 5. [illegible] PLEASE CONVEY TO KIM MY REGARDS AND MY SENTIMENTS REGARDING THE LEAK. PLEASE ALSO LET HIM KNOW THE DIFFICULTIES DASD(NM) S U.S.C. §552(b)(1); E.O. 13526 § 1.4(d) DECLASSIFIED SECRET
SECRET
03 03 PP PP [illegible] BBBBB 4112
WITH MY TRAVELING AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE THREE
UPCOMING HIGH-LEVEL U.S. VISITS SHOULD SERVE TO DEVELOP A
COMMON STRATEGY ON THE NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR PROBLEM.
6. {U} WARM REGARDS. PAUL.
DECLASSIFIED SECRET
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