 The national broadcasting company and the affiliated stations present the Pacific story. The Pacific, the drama of the millions of people who live around this greatest sea, where the United States is now committed to a long-term policy of keeping the peace. This is the background story of the events in the Pacific, and their meaning to us and to the generations to come. Political battlefield. Just think inside the palace here, the Japanese are signing the surrender. Yes. After ruling off for 40 years. When the Japanese came 40 years ago, I remember when they broke into the same palace here and murdered our last queen and threw her body out of the second-story window down into this stone courtyard below. Can you see now, Dr. Soongyong? Yes. There are so many people here, there must be thousands. They all want to see. There goes some more American troops. How many American troops are coming? They say 100,000. Yes. I wonder how Nobuyuki Abe is behaving in there. They said he was pale and near collapse when he came here to sign the surrender. Yes. What retribution is this here? Nobuyuki Abe, who was head of the notorious imperial rule of assistance association in Japan having to sign the surrender for the redemption of Korea. Re redemption? The Japanese will be put out, will they not? Yes. Oh, look, look. Where? Up there, the flagpole on the roof of the palace. Yes. The Japanese flag is coming down. The Americans are holding it down. Down with the Japanese, down. This is the happiest day of my life, Dr. Soongyong. Yes. The Japanese flag has at last come down. Is it not wonderful? Yes. Look, they are raising the American flag. The American flag. Yes. America! The Japanese who had resisted the Japanese all the 40 years they had occupied Korea knew that now everything would be changed. We knew that many of the half million Koreans who had left Korea and gone into exile in Siberia, in China, in Hawaii and other places would be coming back. We knew they would bring back ideas about how Korea should be run. We knew that the Russians had moved down into Northern Korea and that more and more Americans were landing in Southern Korea. But we did not know what was to happen to our country. Pursuant to the part's damn declaration, Korea will be split at the 38th parallel. Soviet forces will occupy the northern half and American forces will occupy the southern half. The order shocked us. This is stupid. The 38th parallel goes directly through three of our provinces. The governors of these provinces must answer to both the Russians and the American occupation government. As I see it, disparaging of our country into two zones is a deliberate attempt to prevent Korea from becoming a unified independent nation. And as I see it, that is even not the worst of it. Nearly all of our electric power and our heavy industry is in the northern part occupied by the Russians. It's like putting half of the United States under communist rule and the other half under democratic rule. The cries went up. For 40 years we had been under the Japanese. Now we were liberated from them, but still we were not free. Independence cannot be granted at this time because of the danger of political chaos among the Korean factions. What do they mean by such statements? We are capable of ruling ourselves. But it was a question of who would rule Korea if Korea was to be ruled by its own people. And I could see the conflict coming. We could learn little about what was happening in the Russian zone. But we knew well enough what was happening in the American zone. What will happen when the exiled provisional government comes back here, Dr. Sunil? I do not know. But the people's republic that was formed here right under the nose of the Japanese will not make way for the provisional government. Political parties supported the provisional government and, too, supported the people's republic. We of the nationalist party support the provisional government because it is the oldest government. It has been in existence and exile since 1919. But it is not actually a government at all. The government that represents the people is the people's republic. That was formed by the men who stayed here and resisted the Japanese from the first day to the last. The nationalist party represents the soundest people of Korea. Lawyers, doctors, teachers, and professional men. That is why we support the provisional government. We of the new people's party are not misled by you reactionaries. We know where you stand. And that is why we organize the people's republic. And that is why we support it. The people's republic is leftist. We of the democratic party support the provisional government. But you of the democratic party, like the nationalist party, are hopeless writers. And that is why we of the communist party support the people's republic. While the four political parties maneuver, more Russian troops move down into northern Korea, and more American troops landed in southern Korea. If the Americans are going to rule southern Korea, why do they not throw out the Japanese officials? They have already removed Governor General Nobiyaki Abe and the chief of police, Taddao Nishiro. Yes, yes. But do the Americans know that the Japanese have already started an underground? I do not know. Do they know that the Japanese have openly said that they will be back in control here in Korea in 20 years? Have the Japanese said this? Yes, they have said this. And they have done more than this. They have worked out plans to place back in office in the first general election, the Koreans who have collaborated with them all these years. How do you know this? We know, Dr. Sun Young. They will back with money the election of the collaborators. The collaborators will see that the Japanese are treated leniently. And when the time is right, the collaborators will again throw open the doors to the Japanese. If this is true... It is true, Dr. Sun Young. The collaborators and the Japanese have already begun storing arms and ammunition, which can be used as soon as the Americans withdraw. That is why all the Japanese high and low must be put out. It will take time. But the American military government has said that it does not intend to confiscate Japanese property. I say we must. Soon walls and houses were plastered with posters. Retention of Japanese in office is a slap on the face to Koreans. Americans, remove the insidious Japanese from all offices. Why are the Americans keeping the Japanese officials in power over us Koreans? Our suspicions grew not only against the Americans, but against our own people. Sir, say Dr. Sun Young. Someone's interested in keeping the Japanese officials in office. Who is responsible for this? A few days later, a statement was made. Japanese governmental machinery is being used because it is the most efficient way of operating at this stage. But the Japanese officials are permitted to act only on American orders and have no independence of action, whatever. Then quickly, as soon as they could be replaced, the Japanese war moved out and the Americans took over 56 Japanese corporations. But as the Japanese were removed, the struggle between the Koreans became more bitter. The first president of the provisional government is on his way back here to Korea. The day of the provisional government is done. We will not recognize the provisional government. No, the only allegiance of you communists is to Moscow. Yes, I am a communist and communism is a salvation of Korea. Certainly, there is no future for Korea under the leadership of your reactionary nationalist party. Korea had become a political battlefield. Seung-man Lee, who had been the first president of the provisional government and who many years past now had resigned the presidency and espoused the cause of Korea in Washington, D.C. Seung-man Lee was coming back. After being away from Korea for 35 years, he came back. Perhaps Seung-man Lee will be able to pull all the factions in Korea together, Dr. Sung-yong. Perhaps. He has become almost a legend in Korea. He has been gone so long. He has done much for Korea. Maybe he can pour oil on the troubled waters. Perhaps. At last, Seung-man Lee came back. Each thousand celebrating Koreans turned out to hear him. Is the United States cooperating with the army that occupies the northern half of Korea? No one had expected him to complain against the Americans. Is that army in the north going to remain there permanently? Many Koreans were for the army in the north and many were for the American army. We remained uncocked and undivided through all the years of Japanese oppression. We shall fight to remain so at the very cost of our lives. Your live powers must as well know this now. I thought Seung-man Lee was going to try to pull the factions together. Is this the way he hopes to do it, Dr. Sung-yong? It is unfortunate. Unfortunate. It is disastrous. Yes. Does Dr. Seung-man Lee know the political situation in Korea so little that he does not know the majority here leans to the left? He has been away a long time. All we can expect now is deterioration of our schemes of unity. And we must have unity. How can we hope to be given our own government if we do not have unity? Now what will happen? How could Seung-man Lee fail to determine before he spoke that most Koreans here in the American zone favor the People's Republic? I do not know. I do not know. The members of the People's Republic had felt that they could give great help to the American administration of our country. Now, many felt that their cause had been searched. Not only by the statements of Seung-man Lee, but by the fact that the People's Republic did lean to the left. Soon, word came that Kim Koo, the president of the provisional government and the members of his group were coming back to Seoul from the exiling Chongqing. Maybe Kim Koo will be able to pull the factions together. He might. If he can bring about a national coalition, he is an able man. It will take a very able man. He has devoted all his life to the fight for Korea, so has Seung-man Lee. But he could not bring the factions together. Many will follow Kim Koo, even those who support your People's Republic. In November 1945, when Kim Koo reached Seoul, the leaders of what might be called the opposition had made their positions clear. We of the New People's Party will be glad to confer with Kim Koo on the matter of forming a coalition. This was your own young, the head of the New People's Party. And we of the Communist Party will be glad to participate in the discussions on a coalition. This was Park Hwang-young, the secretary of the Communist Party. Gentlemen, we are gathered here for the purpose of reaching some agreement on the vital matter of organizing a coalition of all facts. So the negotiations will start? It is my opinion that it is necessary first to take a definite position on the matter. Our guiding principle in working out a coalition that is satisfactory to all must be the sole place to talk of small issues, our deliberations here should be restricted. At the end of 10 days, the negotiations ended with no coalition. Our oldest enemy, the Japanese, had been expelled, but still our people stood divided and our country ruled not by one foreign power, but by two. We had no coalition government. The People's Republic claimed to be a government, but the Americans would not recognize it and curtail some of its activities. But one thing was plain the provisional government group was falling behind and the People's Republic was gaining. We who knew Korea so well could see that indeed the people were moving toward the left. More and more of them supported the People's Republic. The legendary one who had long been a critic of communism fought twice. After all, I am communistic in sentiment. Singman Lee explained his views. I believe in some communistic ideas. When the Korean government sets up policies for the new nation, I will do all I can to adopt many communist theories. For the tension between the rightists and the leftists increased. And on December 28, 1945 it snapped. What is this? What has happened? Haven't you heard about the big three? The three power conference in Moscow. They have imposed a trusteeship on Korea. A trusteeship? For how long? Five years. This is just what we were afraid would happen. It is the leftists who have betrayed us. The leftists are responsible for the trusteeship. We want our own government. How do you know it is the leftists? No. Who else would put us under Russia is it to be under Russia? Russia is to be one of the power powers of the trusteeship. Two days after this big demonstration the report came to us of this speech that have been made on the radio by the American Secretary of State Mr. Burns. He said that the division of Korea at the 30th parallel was for the purpose of military operation and that its continuation was very unsatisfactory. The agreement provides that the American Soviet commands in Korea are to form a joint Soviet-American commission. A joint commission, yes. Yes. Its duties will be first to solve immediate economic and administrative problems. Second, to submit recommendations for the four powers for a provisional democratic government. And third, to submit proposals for a four power trusteeship of Korea. Then there is to be a trusteeship. It seems so. But it says here that Secretary Burns may be possible to dispense with the trusteeship altogether. Good. And he closed by saying quote, it is our goal to hasten the day when Korea will become an independent member of the society of missions. Well, there it is Dr. Sunion. But even this had its reaction here in Seoul. I ask what right the State Department of the United States has to appease Russia at all costs. And I ask what right has Russia to have anything to say about the future of Korea. What are you yelling about? Do you not know what has happened at Moscow? Yes, I know. That is why I ask. You are a member of the New People's Party. You are in sympathy with Russia. You supporters of the provisional government are yelling about an issue that does not exist. Are you in favor of the trusteeship? No. But we are in favor of the other decisions reached in Moscow and for these we will demonstrate. And a few days later the leaders of the People's Republic took part in a demonstration larger than the ones sponsored by the supporters of the provisional government. Let the world look on and know that we do not stand with the supporters of the provisional government who in recent days organized mass demonstrations and a general stoppage of work here in the city of Seoul. In their efforts for power they even tried to take over the police force and the judicial system. We stand here in living testimony of the position of the People's Republic that Korea must support the decisions reached at Moscow by the big three. What about the trusteeship? With this we cannot entirely agree. We support wholeheartedly the other decisions made at Moscow and in the best interest of Korea we urge that all political parties join with us in support of the Moscow decision. The excitement simmered down and the major political parties joined together long enough to issue a statement favorable to the Moscow decision but this did not settle the question. In the American zone there was still unrest. It is my opinion Dr. Soonyoung that the Americans are backing the provisional government. If the joint Soviet-American commission is to plan for a Democratic Korean government, a government that really represents the will of the people of Korea, then the Americans are not being fair in backing the provisional government. Are you sure they are? I'm not certain. It is because the provisional government is conservative. But is it not true that the Soviets are supporting your People's Republic? Yes, but the important point is that most of the people of Korea are for the People's Republic and we will not stand for the United States backing the provisional government against the will of the Korean people. We could see the growing friction not only between the supporters of the provisional government and the supporters of the People's Republic but between the Russians in the northern part of Korea and the Americans in the southern part of Korea. Russian reports came down from northern Korea. Why is the United States military command in southern Korea submitting propaganda against the Soviet Union? The behavior of the American command in southern Korea is astonishing. We have found the position of inspiring reactionary demonstrations against the decisions of the Moscow Conference in which the United States participated. In southern Korea, the part boils. Why were the Russians given 57% of the area of Korea to administer and the Americans only given 43%? That is more than equalized by the population in the American zone. The Russian zone is a third larger than the American zone. Yes, but most of the people live in the American zone. It is not the question. It is when true thirds of the population of Korea lives in the American zone. But most of the cultivated land is in the Russian zone and much of the resources of Korea are in... But the fields that yield the biggest crops are in the American zone. Irrigated fields of the south yield double and sometimes three times as much as the dry fields of the north. Your leftists are playing a fool's game. You are playing into the hands of the communists. More and more thinking Koreans of Korea. Not to the absentee Korean landlords and collaborators who today are trying to perpetuate their special privilege in the new Korea. Your leftists will wake up one day and find that Korea has been delivered into the hands of the Russians. The Russians watch closely all activities in the American zone. The opinions of Moscow were set forth by the Russian press and Radio Moscow. The Soviet news agency TASS has been authorized to deny a report circulated in the American zone of Korea that the Soviet Union is attempting to establish a first sea ship in Korea. These reports are incorrect. The United States proposed that the Moscow government that the four-power administration be established to lead Korea through a transition period aimed at full independence. Soviet Russia proposed that the provisional democratic Korean government be established immediately and that the five-year limit be placed under four-power first sea ships. The proposal of the United States was withdrawn in favor of the Soviet proposal. In the American zone, a democratic representative council was set up. A coalition council of all parties, except the communists, Sengman Ri was made chairman. Kim Koo was made vice chairman. The council made plans for interim government and asked for many changes. But will they confiscate the property of the landlords who are collaborators? They say they will. Many quizzing landlords from the north came down here to the American zone to escape the Russians. Yes? Yes. They knew that the Russians divided the states among the poor farmers in all the countries they occupied in Europe. The democratic representative council has for one of its objectives the redistribution of large states after suitable compensation to its owners. That is what I mean. The quizzing Korean landlords got their land, many of them for collaborating with the Japanese all these years. Well, that will have to be worked out by the council or by our own government when we get our government. Many of the quizzing landlords feel that they will be better treated here in the American zone and in the Russian zone. Many of the landlords have always lived right here in Seoul. The absentee landlords, they were as bad or worse than the others. They took as much as 60% of the crops of the farmers on their land. The American military government has made a rule that land rents can only be one third of the crop. Why should the landlord that will collaborate us get anything? You will have a voice in dealing with them. We will see what rights we get if the same ones who are in the provisional government get control of our new government. The communists who are not included in the representative council are already making moves. If opportunistic observers in the American zone of Korea would bravely stand on the side of truth and reject reaction in hypocrisy, the unification of southern Korea would be carried out immediately. The communists are not included in the democratic representative council, for they mean to have a part in the government when it is formed. Kim Il-sung who is the head of the Korean communist in the Russian zone will run. That communist you conservatives must not forget that he was one of the most dependable and brilliant of the underground workers during the war. Still he is a communist. You can expect many communists to run in the elections. The communists will fight for representation in the coalition government. In the north, the Russians are supporting the Korean communist. In the south, the Americans lean toward the conservatives. Agreements have been made that communications would be open between the two zones. But even this would not do away with the problems that arise from having two zones. How can our agriculture prosper here in the south when nearly all the synthetic fertilizer plants are under control of the Russians in the north? The hydroelectric power is in the north. There is enough electric power in the north to manufacture all the synthetic fertilizers that Korea could use and supply an export market as well. But in the south here, we do not have enough electric power to build synthetic fertilizer plants. What will we do for fertilizer? The same situation exists as to industry. Korea has enough industry, but the industries in the north and the industries in the south are controlled. Part are controlled by the Russians and part by the Americans. And there is almost no communication between them. The mineral and power resources and the heavy industries are in the Russian zone. The processing plants in the light industries are in the American zone. But there is even more to it than that. Yes, we have enough labor to run the plant. Not enough housing and food. This plant is in the American zone. There were built of cement and structural steel from the Russian zone. On the steel we use in the plant, we must get from the Russian zone. And the cold and the useful fuel must come from the Russian zone. And the steel ingots we use were smelted in the north, where there is plenty of hydroelectric power. Not only must we depend on material from the north, but the products we make here, the biggest market for them is in the north. It is as if Korea is two different countries of relations between them. What can we do? It is said who controls Korea controls Asia. But today Korea is a house divided against itself. So far the problem of communication between the north and the south has not been settled. The future both economically and politically is confused. The United States Soviet commission faces serious obstacles in Korea. Russia and the United States must realize that every step either one takes will affect it standing throughout Asia and all the Pacific. You have been listening to the Pacific story presented by the national broadcasting company and a affiliated independent station to clarify events in the Pacific and to make understandable the cross currents of life in the Pacific Basin. For a reprint of this Pacific story program, send 10 cents in stamps or coins to University of California Press Berkeley, California. May I repeat? For a reprint of this Pacific story program, send 10 cents in stamps or coins to University of California Press Berkeley, California. It is written and directed by Arnold Marquess. The original musical score was composed and conducted by Thomas Paluso, the principal voice was that of Sidney Miller. Programs in this series of particular interest to service men and women are broadcast overseas to the worldwide community. Thank you.