MEMORANDUM 1267 NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SECRET SENSITIVE XGDS 3 ACTION February 28 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY KISSINGER FROM W R SMYSER 'N f h DAVID D ELLIOTT SUBJECT f e'JV Dv draY Development of U S Po lie y Toward South Korean Developmen of Nuclear Weapons ' At Tab A is a draft State cable to Embassy Seoul informing the Embassy of the approach we are using to formulate a policy toward South Korea's development of the nuclear capability The cable also responds to Ambassador Sneider's recommendations on this question Tab B we are in essential agreement with Sneider Specifically the draft State cable --Agrees that the ROK has entered the initial stage of nuclear weapons development -- Affirms that ROK continuation on this course would have a decidedly stabilizing effect in Northeast Asia --Defines our basic objective as 1 to discourage and 2 to inhibit the ROK effort to develop a nuclear explosive capability or delivery system -- Stresses the need to develop our policy toward Korea on this issue within the multilateral framework which we are using for global policy on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons -- States that in consonance with this multilateral approach we are at present considering the following courses toward the ROK o Inhibit ROK access to sensitive technology and equipment both through unilateral U S action and through the development of common supplier nation policies DECLASSiFiED w portions exempted SEGR S'F- SENSITIVE XGDS 3 E O 12958 as amended SEC 3 3 fv1H# P-tJt7 11 J tf 4b-- o e p-t e t 4 I aI By dA L NARA Date ' - SECRET SENSITIVE 2 o Press the ROKto ratify the NPT The ROK has told us recently that it intends to proceed to ratify the NPT in the near future o our information on crease e current state of ROK technical development in this area We have no objection to the draft State cable RECOMMENDATION That you approve the draft State cable to Embassy Seoul at Ta A APPROVE _ _ _ __ SEGRE'f' SENSITIVE DISAPPROVE ----- - ' - _ ' - ' - -- - - ' _' ------- j i COPYf-6 _ OF 6 COPIRS 1 l j i- - ' Ac'r IoN NOHs i 'o - liiW r c ' r -' -' i x Ftf AMi tJA 'SS 'I' --' _ r o SEOUL rr t'l S1 1D cc s- I 7''49 iC - - -J - ' _ - sECTI- N - - t oF _- f rr o NO NO ' fN YORi tG'N D SSCI'I c co ir O SSC t-1 _ Q l THI I I NY liMER oocuhE NT OR e b -- 1t 621 XGD w TAGs HNriC KS Y SUBJECT HO P AN3 -- _ - ' __ - TO -- ---- -- - - - MISSil ES SiJMM RY x I'IHILE IT - Ht s ee - K CRt A I S SD TO cf P IT SL N ACCl IUL ic 'o IN RECENT Mot R soH 6 ttr1r THAT OP t ' - rE 1 IOENCE SlROI G'f F HESUHPT ON THA C TH2 Ot A GUVT rU s 0 lH o oc Ett W fJH TME IN TIAL PHA Si S oF A NUCL E AR k Df VEL1 'Pi1EN1 PRO-G RAM AT THE PHESr H T Nt E 'HI ENc E c t f f's t OT_ d f bi USIVE' 1 NO THE - ' PHOGRAM s R t GA rHJS BOih NUC ' 1 - R DE _ _E NO fnE Vf RY SY T M IS - S T t L L N I i 5 VER Y IN I i 1 AL 0 EVf t 0 if N AL PHASE - H 0 WEVER ' - EVI 0 NCE I S S UF F 1 CH NT -HI l-1 du l Cto fl FlJL S TUtH ' j I N0 I i KOREAN GOVERNMENT sUM t1 Pt - ' ' _ -'GBP 1NTENTIONS - WH1CE CO fT t UES TO DC L Y AN ' ' 7 -- -- _-- _ o ' _ _ -- _ ---- - -- _j THE KOREAN GOVERNMENT STEPB TOvt HH1 RATifiCt TION Of HE NPT I tEGPlNING THIs SUI1HER ' _ _ - __ i ' ' i i t ir J s i pt d _ - - ' 1 ' - ' - - a u tv- t v o By _ oLd NARA Date t -1 o zu_ _C t A Sis to - - --- - - - -v' ' ' Tt fc r FTARY - ' -- i- --- c j o z rs r rt N ' ir o ' o o o ' o ' o o o REM R K e o TH A ' ' O C S IONS CONCE J l N G T liE NU CLt' f H p'RoGH A 11 r F AS F t P EJ CK AS 19159 l' Ap ALL BEEN CONS HENT l'iiTHf' l o''Ht A rs of VE L OP NG Ar- i - ' NIJCl EA R loiEAPONS CAi-IAHILITY 8Y T-t-IE H' i 'TI 1 970s ' ''lJSINGo RtPR JCES$ CCE E r ING W ASif S fR0 --1 HLE 'F FIST Po IER G' ' o p' UNITS 2 A C 0 U t3 T k 0 N Qr E ll P 0 N S G i'i t Df t1 11 T E R I AL l f' T C R C0 NC E T R AT NG ON U $ RESE RCH AND ENRICH O URANIUM POWER REACTUR5 FOR SOH YEARS riDr G HAS BEGUN TtJ D VEHSH'Y ITS ReACTOR SOURCf S TS 11A N T HRUS T 1i AS t1 F E N A Ti E MP 1' i' 0 ACQU ua B 0 1 H C AN 0 U Hr A V Y W TE R POWE ACTORS ANO A RESEARCH REACTG FRbH C NADA o WHILE THfRE ARE OTHER VALrD RE SONS FOR f CQU WING THE CANDU Rt -ACiOR INCLUO ' G FAVORABLi CrH DIT TERMS TH CAI'JAD A N RE C TOf S PART CULAHLY RES RCH R ACTOR COULD PROVIOE AN EASIER MEANS FO E AD NG SAF GUARO CONTROLS ANU ACQUIRING P UTONIUM 3 AOO riONALLY I I' 'E HAVE kEPORTG L__ _ _ _ _ _- -------- I THAT ROKG IS SEEKING TO ACOUtR A NUCLEAR FUEL REPRO o ' ' ' - ' 1 IT TO BE ut PRODUCED WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVe SECRf TARY t tr ei r- -t o rn t 1' t oo 1 o ' ' o -- --- - ------- -- - - - ol - -- t - ' ' o - j ' --- -- -- o - _ - ---- -- - - -- - o' ' o' - --- - - - ' - - ' ' - -- -_ _ ' ' - - OTTO BE RE RODUCED WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF iHE t XECUTIVE SECRETARY -o ' ' - t o ' o ' o ' ' - - - ' _ Qepartnteilt of_ Stale 1 ' 0028 ' ACi ON NOOs '1 I ' INFO R 2092SZ o c 74 FM AHEM8AHSY SEGU TO SECST TE WASHDC ---- - --- ---- - - ' 725 ' t M CilON 2 tlF 2 5EOULdHl2'3 NCOIS o Na FOREIGN O S5i l CONTRCJL L- o o SEH rHI5 INFORMATHlN NO' TO ar INCL UOC O ANY OThER DOCUMENi Ok PU8l lCATION 7 ' ' NC 0 -SS M 8ROAO nl 6 WEAPONS D VELClrf-' t NT' THE Rcfk FaRCES t 'doAY ARE l GU PE o w _ TH w APONS SYSTC MS WITH A Oi r - UCLf A DEi fVEHY CAPADi L lD' J r A t R F i AtW J IKE- Ht RCUL llJLQRllL OR - N_ W i _AP O_i s H V S A 1 E C lo P A 8 L I T Y o f3U T Nr X TH_g f F q_RCf H A S __ Cf _ -_J 0 '-' ------''fi_C -'-'-A 0 -1 S o oo ' - -' - FIRST Sj ' GES OF' fJ SS LE Of VELOPl-iC W I ROGR rf W HCH IS l t RGEL ' EXPERrMEKi AN o EL e MEN i WI' MW r s r1 Ar NL 't G R E o r a I HF Ro v t o i ER r I o N k n MAINTENANCE OF MISS L SYSTEH NO IN THEIR INVE TORY THER IS t EG TPI i ROi CCNCERN THAT AS THESr MlSSit E SYSTEt S GO uuT OF' U S NVENTO Y id l'd2 HILL HE Pi n8LE11S IN MAXNTENiH Cr t D ACQUIS Tro OV SP Aric PM TS J Dr fiONAL LY KOReANS E NiEqGBP51 0 rN THE LOCKHEED PROPELLANT PL NT IN OROER 70 MA NTAIN AND FU ihER o VELCP ROPC LLANi C0i1PONt TS OF THEIR ROCI EtS t_NO qSSIL ES i 'RESEARCr PHCGR SO Ft R HAS PRODUCED ONLY A t FOOT SOUNDING 7 THi ROXS ARE ALS ENGAGED ' N THE RESE F CH MiiJ ROC ET o WHICH HAS STI fLIGHT T 5TED TO BE ' - - o o ' ' - o I ' PROJECTi O CONTRACT FOLLO NG HJKL NGS OF U S CONCERt MNO V C M Nl licR CHOI KWt NG SOO ALSO RcCC N'T't Y TOLD i Mf10Fi- TH T NO H S NOl Y T OECIDEb UPON ITS M SS LE DEVELOPMENT P OGRAMS 1 ALTHpUGH G VING un GOoAHS O UN PHDPELLENAT PLANT o RE f i' - j S ONCt US CNS AND RE OMHENpAT%CNSt EMBASSV LACKS SUF IC ENT EX ERTJSE TO PROVIDE Cl A LY CEfiNfTE JUDGMENT REGAHDING HOK CLEAR WE PONS PROGR H BUT FRDH VlDENCE AVA LA6 E To US WE CO 'lCL UOE lHAi Dgc rON HAS PROJL 9 1 Ltt G N M_ Q_ _J_CLJ l _ - t J I__ NITI L STAG S OF NUCLE R EAPONS QEVELOPMENT PROGRAH HO EYE T S S T X L L N RUO MENi AI Y TA G_E _ANU---C - c'Xf G' A- - iiJt-iG Sr t Of CH i C t ITEMS SUCH AS FWEL RE-PROCESSING AND t UTONIUM MISSILE OEVELCP NT I S E VcN LE S AD VAr CE J 1 D AT P E C NT T l tH AP t A i S i 0 8 E GE R D VERY LARGELY TO SUPPORT OF WEAPO SYSTEMS LR AOY AVAI ABLE IN HCK INVENTORY 10 WE EMPHASIZE THESE t - oo _PRELIMINARY JUD EMENTS AND E N t E D A S S E S S 11 EN T 0 F AN Y R 0 I ' ll FURTHER IMMEDIATE ACTIONS CONSIDERA T CN ARE RfCO MENDED FOR W S IN TON At SAFEGUARDS INSPECTIONS AT ALL FACILITIES A$ PROVID D FO N F X STING AGHr EM NTS ti UNOERTAi f l IN E TPe MEL Y THOROuGH MANSER _fO it l PPROACH TOROK ON N T RAT'If c rrrw l I I NOT TO GBPlE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRET A zY - a - - ' r - _ -c r z a _ _ - _ ' - o o - r ' - - 'i ' ' - J eparttnent _of_ St4te _ - - l o o - ' o - o ' ' - _ -_ o __ II o _- _ _ _ ' _ - ' ' i - 'i o f o ' - - o o ' f l I ' o ' I '6 tl I o l J - I - tl T TO 8E R RODLJCED WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXE CUTIVE SECRETARY t ' f -- ' 1 1 'T - - ' This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu