NOGUN-RI: MUCCIO LETTER AND SCHOLARSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 002109 SIPDIS SIPDIS OSD/ISA/AP FOR LTC FINNEGAN JOINT STAFF J5/NEA FOR LTC DEALE PACOM FOR MR. HUGO AND LTC MUNIPALI E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2014 TAGS: PREL MARR MASS KS SUBJECT: NOGUN-RI: MUCCIO LETTER AND SCHOLARSHIP REF: SEOUL 1972 Classified By: A/DCM Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. ¶2. (C) Following up DG Cho Taeyong's June 11 discussion with EAP PDAS Stephens (reftel),MOFAT North American Division II Director Shin Sungwon requested USG's positive response on the Muccio letter and scholarship extension. Presenting a nonpaper (text in para 3) to PolMil Chief on June 23, Shin said the ROKG was reasonably confident that it would be able to resolve the scholarship issue with the Nogun-ri group, if the USG would extend the funding for another year. On the Muccio letter, Shin emphasized the need to develop a coordinated explanation to avoid further controversy. ¶3. (C) Begin text of MOFAT's nonpaper: Concerning the May 29 report of the AP, on the letter dated July 25, 1950, from the then U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, John J. Muccio, to Assistant Secretary of State Dean Rusk, we would like to ask your government for clarification on the following points. - The AP reported that the microfilm containing the letter of Ambassador Muccio was included in the U.S. Army's own list of sources for the 1999-2001 investigation, implying that the letter had already been reviewed by the U.S. investigation team, but was not incorporated in the 2001 No Gun Ri Review. - If the letter had already been reviewed, it is not easily understandable how the existence of the letter was not informed to our side during not only the 1999-2001 investigation, but even after the publication of the 2001 No Gun Ri Review. We would like to ask the U.S. Government that the scholarship funds allocated for the memory of the No Gun Ri victims, which the U.S. Embassy in Seoul informed us as expiring by the end of September 2006, be extended, taking into consideration that the list of No Gun Ri victims were confirmed just at the beginning of this year. - In addition, we would like to ask you that the extent of the beneficiaries of the scholarship funds be narrowed down to the families of the No Gun Ri victims. We look forward hearing from the U.S. Government on the above issues. End text. ¶4. (C) Action Request/Comment: We would appreciate the Department/OSD's response to MOFAT's request. Given MOFAT's determination to work the scholarship issue, we believe the request for one more extension of funding merits positive consideration. VERSHBOW