14 SEP 1971 MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION SUBJECT 8 State Department Request to Release Certain 1. On the morning of 14 Septomber 1971 the Korean Affairs Office at State called and said he would. like to get our concurrence to release cortain of our reports to the Department of Justice. Since the background could not be explained on the telephone, he sent the reports over by messenger. 2. Due to the sensitivity of the information (many prominent Americans are involved in the Korean Cultural and Freedom Foundation (KCFF) which' sponsors Radio Free Asia) and ' the source of the reports, I put in a call of Korean Affairs at the State Department, to ask for background on the request. 3. stated that for some time State has been concerned with Radio Free Asia. The KCFF, on behalf of Radio Free Asia, conducts periodic fund appeals in the U.S. and an estimated 60,000 Americans have contributed money to it. Recently in its broadcasts the subject of Amarican prisoners in North Vietnam has begun coming up frequently and there are implications that the KCFF might be able to do more to obtain their release than the U.s. Government itself. The KCFF also uses the names of prominent Americans in its fund appeals in a probably unauthorized manner. The State Department for a long time has desired to slow down or halt these activities. Recently Undersecretary U. Alexis Johnson and Attorney General Hitchell have been discussing ways and means of affecting the slowing down. The Justice Department position has been that if a direct connection could be shown between the KCFF and the Republic of Korea Government (RONG) then a prosecution could be brought for failure to registor under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Attorney General Mitchell asked if such a connection could be shown and Ir. Johnson sent him summaries of: certain State traffic on this subject. Attorney General Mitchell replied it would still be necessary to have an FBI investigation to produce the kind of evidence needed for overt action (warnings to the Koreans involved) or possibly even court prosecution. Mr. Johnson and Attorney General Mitchell have apparently decided to go ahead with and FBI investigation and the FBI now wants more detailed information on which to begin the actual field work. At this point State decided to ask our permission to pass the above listed reports as being pertinent to the investigation. 4. stated he personally does not think the case should be carried as far as court prosecution and did not feel, in response to a direct question, that there is any danger whatsoever that our reports would ever be introduced as court evidence. He stated that as extra 2 protection he would see to it that only paraphrased and summarized versions of the reports are passed. However, The wanted the investigation to proceed in order to have quotable material" to warn people on Congressional Hill, for instance, not to allow use of their names by the KCFF and Radio Preo Asia." 5. further stated he felt, and had so informed the FBI, that the investigation should begin by questioning PAK Po-hi and YANG Yu-chan, both of whom are prominent in the KCFF. 6. I asked how much urgency he placed on the request for release of our reports. He said that sinca Mr. Johnson and Attorney General Mitchell had already reached agreement he considered the matter quite urgent indeed and would appreciate anything we could do to obtain the reloase in the shortest possiblo time. I told him we might have to go to very high levels within the CIA and ha replied he still hopad it could be done within one or two days at most. 22 September 1975 REPORT 15. The ROX Kission in New York is once again having problonɛ witi Reverend HOON and the Unification Church. Sone of MOON's fanatics have been doing some lobbying in the U.N. on behalf of South Korea, and the ROK Mission has recoived a nwber of complainta. havn bron, instructed by Ambaerndor it to go to New York some tiro in late Sopto:mber or early October to disencs the problem with Rov, TICON oï |