9781422285961

The Korean War

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Moscow Conference in December 1945. The ministers approved the cre- ation of the U.S.-U.S.S.R. Joint Commission on Korea. It was charged with developing recommendations for the formation of a provisional (temporary) Korean government. In preparation for its full independence, Korea would be administered as a “trusteeship.” Four foreign powers—the USSR, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China—would share supervisory control of Korea for a period of up to five years. Many Koreans bitterly opposed the idea of trusteeship. They believed they were ready for self-government immediately. In fact, in early September—before the arrival of the first American troops—a prominent Korean leader named Yo Un-hyung had organized a 1,000-delegate national assembly. The assembly set up a government, the “Korean People’s Republic.” Its officials represented a diversity of political views. But while the Soviets quickly accepted the government as legitimate, the United States did not. General John R. Hodge, commander of American occupation forces in Korea, ordered the Korean People’s Republic dis- banded.

Members of the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea discuss the future of Korea in 1948. Pictured are (left to right) S. H. Jackson of Australia, Rufino Luna of the Philippines; George S. Patterson of Canada, the chairman of UNTCOK; Coert Binnerts, principal secretary; Hung Ti Chu, secretary; Bahadur Singh of India; J. Paul-Bouncour of France; Miguel Angel Pena Valle of El Salvador, and W. Liu of China.