ah Authority 0 5 Department of State SECRET AN N750006-0751 PAGE 01 SEOUL 09662 1611272 12 ACTION NODS-OO INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 I001 -- 052510 0 1609112 DEC 75 FM ANENBASSY SEOUL TO SECSTATE NASHDC INNEDIATE #93 SEOUL 9662 NOD15 DEPT PASS TOKYO OTTANA PARIS IAEA VIENNA FOR INFO E D 11552 808 TAGS PARN KS FR CA SUBJECT ROK NUCLEAR REPROCESSING I UNDER INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PRIHE MINISTER AND IN ABSENCE MINISTER SCIENCE OF TECHNOLOGY HOST VICE MINISTER OF NOST Y1 CHONG-SOK TOGETHER HITH KAERI PRESIDENT YUN YONG-KU CALLED ON AMBASSADOR DEC 15 TO ELICIT CONCRETE INFORNATION REGARDING u S OFFER ASSISTANCE IN NUCLEAR FIELD IN EVENT ROKG AGREES TO CANCELLATION FRENCH REPROCESSING FACILITY CONTRACT EXPLAINING TNAT NOST HAD SEEN ASKED TO PREPARE POLICY OPTIONS ON THIS GOESTION FOR PRININ VICE NIN TI ASKED FOR ANSRERS TO DETAILED DUESTIONS REGARDING EXTENT PROPOSED u s SUPPORT BY DEC 20 TALKING POINT PAPER CONTAINING OUESTIONS NNICN VICE NINISTER LEFT AT END OF MEETING BEING FORNARDEO SEPTEL IN BRIEF VICE OUESTIONS FOLLOH A NOULD USG BE BILLING PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY AND CAPITAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMERCIAL FUEL FABRICATION PROJECT 8 WHEN AND HOULD ASIAN REGIONAL NUCLEAR FUEL REPROCESSING CENTER BE ESTABLISHED HHAT HOULD IT DO HHO HOULD PARTICIPATE HHAT NOULD BE ROK ROLE AND HOULD U S TRAIN KOREAN TECHNICIANS C NOULD USG GIVE SUPPORT AND TRAINING FOR ROK LONG RANGE PAGE 02 SEOUL 09662 1611272 SECRET 3% Authority TOMA SECRET DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM-IN DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY REACTOR SAFETY NASTE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY AND NOULD USG ALLOH EMPLOYMENT BY KOREA OF AMERICAN EXPERTS REQUIRED FOR THESE D HILL USG GUARANTEE ENRICHMENT SERVICES TO MEET ALL FUTURE KOREAN REQUIREMENTS AND REPROCESSING SERVICES BEFORE COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF MULTI-NATIONAL REGIONAL REPROCESSING E HILL USG ASSIST ROK NITH LOANS FOR PURCHASE OF U S NATURAL URANIUM AND NUCLEAR POUER REACTORS izII 2 IN RESPONSE AMB SAID THESE HERE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS BUT ANSWERS HOULD INEVITABLY TAKE CONSIDERABLE TIME HE REITERATED NHAT HE HAVE SAID BEFORE THAT HE UISH EXPANDED COOPERATION AND HE SAID HE NOULD GO BACK TO NASHINGTON FOR AS MUCH IN HAY OF DETAIL AS COULD BE PROVIDED AT SAME TIME HE HAS DOUBTFUL HE COULD BE MUCH MORE SPECIFIC AT THIS TIME MORE SPECIFICALLY AMB MADE FOLLOHING ADDITIONAL POINTS REGARDING QUESTION A HE HAVE INDICATED GENERAL SUPPORT FOR FUEL FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BUT TRANSFER FROM U S HOULD ENTAIL EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION HITH U S PROPRIETORY INTERESTS BEFORE SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS COULD BE B IAEA DETAILED STUDY OF REPROCESSING CENTER WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR OUR BEING ABLE TO ANSNER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS REGARDING CENTER AND TO DETERMINE ROKG ROLE IN SUCH CENTER IAEA STUDY NOT TO BE COMPLETED UNTIL END OF 1976 UHICH YI ACKNONLEDGED AS REGARDS TRAINING PRIOR ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER AMBASSADOR SAID HE NOULD INQUIRE OF HASHINGTON C NE HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED SOME TRAINING ON DESIGN MANUFAC- TURE HASTE DISPOSAL AND SAFETY ASPECTS NUCLEAR POUER PLANTS AMBASSADOR SAID HE HOULO INQUIRE REGARDING TRAININGPOSSIBILITIES IN THESE AREAS AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT TRANSFER OF DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY HAS INVOLVED PROPRIETORY INTERESTS 0 AS HE HAVE SAID ROKG couw'nELv on THE 11 5 FOR FUTURE PAGE 03 5mm 09552 1511272 SECRET Authority SECRET 6 COHHENT AT THIS POINT IT IS DIFFICULT TO DISCERN THE REAL MOTIVATION FOR APPROACH BY VICE NINISTER YI HE RECOGNIZED THAT QUESTIONS RAISED HERE NOT PRONE TO READY AND FULL RESPONSE BUT HAS UNDER INSTRUCTIONS NEVERTHELESS SEEK MORE DETAILS ON OUR POSITIVE OFFERS 7 IT IS OUITE POSSIBLE ROKG OFFICIALS ARE SEEKING RATIONALE IN TERHS OF POSITIVE GAINS FOR PULLING OUT OR SUSPENDING OF FRENCH PROJECT HITH TECHNICAL GROUNDS PROVIDING BETTER FACESAVER THAN POLITICAL ARGUMENTS THIS APPROACH UOULD PERHIT REVERSAL NITHOUT DIRECT CONFRONTATION HITH PRESIDENT PARK THEY HAY ALSO BE BARGAINING HITH US TO RAISE THE ANTE FOR HITHDRAHING FROH FRENCH-PROJECT ON THE OTHER HAND THEY NIGHT BE STALLING US AND TRYING TO DEHONSTRATE U S PROPOSAL IS ONLY BROAD GENERALITIES AND INADEOUATE BASIS FOR CANCELLING FRENCH PROJECT I TRIED INTER ALIA TO HEAD THIS OFF NITH HY INITIAL RESPONSE 8 IN ORDER TO GAIN FURTHER CLARIFICATION I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH HITH PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY-GENERAL KIN CHOH-YOH HE ASSURED ME THAT ANY FURTHER FINAL ACTION ON PURCHASE OF FRENCH PLANT HILL BE HELD OFF UNTIL OUR REPLY RECEIVED SECONDLY HE CONFIRMED THAT HE HAS REVIENED REPORTS ON NY APPROACH AND PRESIDENT PARK FULLY AHARE OF HIGH POLITICAL STAKES INVOLVED PROBLEM HOULD THEREFORE BE GIVEN FULLEST RECONSIDERATION NHEN OUR REPLY RECEIVED AND STUDIED AFTER APPARENTLY CONFERRING HITH PRESIDENT PARK HE URGED ME TO DELAY APPROACH TO PRESIDENT UNTIL THEN 5 HHILE THIS GAHBIT HAY BE TRAP TO ENSNARE US IT AFFORDS US A LITTLE DAYLIGHT I RECOHNEND HE TEST IT SINCE HE HAVE AT LEAST BLUE HOUSE ASSURANCES OF DELAY IN FINALIZING FRENCH PURCHASE I REALIZE ALL QUESTIONS RAISED BY KOREANS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSHER DEFINITEVELY AT THIS TIME AND I HAVE SO EARNED THEN AND THAT THERE IS TYPICAL ELENTNT OF KOREAN BARGAINING I URGE NEVERTHELESS THAT HE BE AS FORTHCOMING AND POSITIVE AS POSSIBLE HE HAVE LITTLE TO LOST AND A LOT TO GAIN BY SPELLING OUT IN MORE DETAIL HON HUCH HORE NE HAVE TO OFFER ROKG PEACEFUL NUCLEAR AHBITIONS THAN THE FRENCH 10 INCIDENTALLY I HAVE ALSO BEEN IN TOUCH HITH FONHIN KIN PAGE 05 SEOUL 09662 1611272 SECRET n I DECLASSHHED AumomyA W SECRET DONG-JO AND HE NON FULLY RECOGNIZES THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF HIGHEST POLITICAL IMPORTANCE AFFECTING BROAD SPECTRUH OF ROKG-US RELATIONS SNEIDER SECRET                     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