POSSIBILITY OF MARTIAL LAW BEING DECLARED IN SOUTH KOREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002900420001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 28, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 1, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 202-004578002 20001-7
CLASSIFICATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO. 25X1 A
I T IOU REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY Korea
SUBJECT Possibility of AH.artial law Being Declared
in South Korea
PLACE 25X1 C
ACQUIRED
DATE OF INFO.
25X1X
25X1A
This, document
25X1A
P!~BLIC RELLTFE4SE ()F t DOCUM ,
1. Unconfirmed reports have been consistently circulating in Seoul that a
declaration of martial law or of a limited emergency is impending.
2. The .Minister of National Defense and leaders of the army and, navy are in
favor of a declaration of martial law which would enable them to effect
a complete purge of leftists and "middle-of-the-roaders" who are advocating
a coalition with the People's Republic in North Korea. .
3. The Minister of Home Affairs and the National Police are opposed to martial
law, because wader martial law the police would lose their present power.
The Minister of Home Affairs has agreed to martial law provided that the
President.. will, by special executive order, give the police power equal to
that of the army and navy.
4. President RSEE is considering whether to declare martial law, and if eo,
whether to give the police the power demanded by the Minister of Home Affairs.
5. The original date for the declaration of martial law was set to coincide
with the departure of the last elements of the U.S. occupation forces, but
was delayed because of the disagreement of the cabinet members. The present
tentative date is on or about 2 July 1949.
f -?h S.
Document No.
NO, CHANGE in
DATE DISTR. 1 July 1949
NO. OF PAGES 1
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
CONFlDENTIA! in hereby regraded to
l
T acc
etter of
ordance with the
16 October
D
irector
7978 from the
Archivist of the Central Intelligence to the
United States.
Next Review Date: 20o8
,-,,WIING &tOTICr 'THIS D1,
XCISED BEF UST gym