Editing 76-17-B1 (section)

= Korea III =

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=== Transcript ===
Last broadcast, I indicated there was probably some justification for
certain authoritarian measures in the Republic of Korea. That's, of course,
what we commonly refer to as South Korea. There are no authoritarian measures
in communist North Korea -- just pure slavery under complete totalitarian rule
by a non-elected government.

But let me review the happenings of the last decade which I think will indicate
some legitimacy for President Park's imposition of a few restraints. There is, of
course, the memory of the unprovoked attack by North Korea which led to the long and
bloody so-called police action, the Korean war.

On January 21, 1968, as we were heading into an election year, 31 North
Korean commandoes slipped across the demilitarized zone and attacked the
Presidential residence in Seoul. The U.S.S. Pueblo was kidnapped two days later,
beginning a shameful chapter of American history. Then, in April of 1969, came
another deliberate insult to our nation with the tragic murder of 31 of our
airmen. A reconnaissance plane out over international waters was shot down by
North Korean MIG fighter planes. Probably these two incidents were designed to
convince us we should pull out of Korea and that was the reaction of our bleeding
hearts.

On August 15, 1974, a North Korean agent attempted to kill President Park
as he addressed a ceremony celebrating National Liberation Day. His bullet
killed the President's wife instead. Three months later, United Nations forces
found a tunnel beneath the demilitarized Zone near Panmunjom. Six months later,
another tunnel was found on the Eastern front. It was more than a rabbit hole.
It was capable of passing 30,000 armed soldiers an hour into South Korea.

A year ago, North Korean soldiers attacked an American officer inside the
joint security area of Panmunjom where he had every right to be. He was seriously
wounded and, I believe, permanently disabled . Two months later, two of our
officers were butchered with axes by North Korean guards inside the demilitarized
Zone . Though they can't all be listed, there have been thousands of violations
of the truce; snipings, machine gun attacks on our patrols, and so forth.

The government of South Korea has asked repeatedly for a nonaggression pact
with North Korea and has stated there would be no need for American forces to
remain in South Korea if such a pact were signed. There has been no response,
which would seem to be pretty good proof that Kim Il-Sung has aggression in mind.

Frankly, I thought President Park was extremely generous in making such an
offer because no communist nation feels bound by any agreement it signs.

We've been treated to headlines quoting a disgruntled ex-Korean government
employee about how terrible the present South Korean government is. Apparently,
a South Korean business man crossed the palms of some of our congressmen with
silver and we darn well should know who they were and what they did for that
silver. But this shouldn't be the criterion used in making decisions affecting
our national security. And, keeping the U. S. 2nd Infantry Division on guard in
Korea is very much a part of our national security. 

This is Ronald Reagan.

Thanks for listening.
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=== Details ===
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<TR><TD WIDTH="150">Batch Number</TD><TD WIDTH="150">{{PAGENAME}}</TD></TR>
<TD>Production Date</TD><TD>07/??/[[Radio1977|1977]]</TD></TR>
<TD>Book/Page</TD><TD>[https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/public/2024-07/40-656-7386263-014-006-2024.pdf#PAGE=11 Online PDF]</TD></TR>
<TD>Audio</TD><TD></TD></TR>
<TD>Youtube?</TD><TD>No</TD></TR>
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===Added Notes===

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