RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE: MUCCIO LETTER AND NOGUN-RI

UNCLAS STATE 144127 SIPDIS SENSITIVE C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED SIPDIS OSD PASS TO FINNEGAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KS MARR PREL SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE: MUCCIO LETTER AND NOGUN-RI SCHOLARSHIP REF: SEOUL 2986 ¶1. (SBU) The Department appreciates Post's continued efforts to help resolve the Nogun-ri issue. OSD is aware of the ROKG's request for both the Department of the Army Inspector General's (IG) explanation of the Muccio letter and the status of the Nogun-ri Scholarship (reftel) and is preparing a letter from DOD Deputy Undersecretary Richard Lawless to MOFAT DG for North American Affairs Cho Tae-yong. OSD expects that a letter from DUSD Lawless will be sent next week. ¶2. (SBU) On the IG explanation of the Muccio letter, OSD is currently determining whether it can include the information in a letter to the ROKG since it has not been approved for release outside the USG. If not, it may have to communicate the information via a different channel. In any event, both items were explained to MOFAT in detail in numerous meetings including an August 10 meeting between MOFAT NAD II and OSD and EAP/K visitors. RICE