ROK-US Conflicts during the Early Cold War: Focusing on the Syngman Rhee Administration and the US before the Signing of the Calcutta Agreement in 1959

This study analyzes the policy of the Syngman Rhee administration and the US policy before the Calcutta Agreement in August 1959 concerning the Repatriation of Koreans in Japan to North Korea. This paper’s question is, ‘How did the ROK-the US conflict develop before the Calcutta Agreement in August 1959 regarding the Repatriation of Koreans in Japan to North Korea?’ This study suggests two answers. First, the Syngman Rhee administration misunderstood the International Committee of the Red Cross, acted independently and had difficulty communicating with the US. Second, the US made various efforts to make the Syngman Rhee administration aware of the reality to prevent the deterioration of the ROK-Japan relations due to the progress of the Repatriation of Koreans in Japan to North Korea. The conflict between the ROK and the US became severe from late June to July 1959. On August 13 of the same year, the Calcutta Agreement between the Japanese Red Cross and the North Korean Red Cross was signed.