893.01/10–2549: Airgram
The Ambassador in Korea (Muccio) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 10—2:40 p. m.]
A–336. Re: Embassy telegram No. 1144, September 13, 1949. During conversation with an Embassy officer on October 24, President [Page 145] Rhee expressed great concern at possible recognition of communist China by the United Kingdom or at possible attempts by Northwest Airlines to land in communist-held China.
Dr. Rhee said that if the United Kingdom should recognize communist China he thought that his Government would have to sever diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom. He said the big democratic countries could afford to temporize with the communists, but Korea could not; Korea had “burned her bridges” and intended to oppose the communists without compromise.
As regards rumors he had heard that Northwest Airlines was considering securing landing rights in Tientsin or Peiping, President Rhee said that if NWA tried to land in Chinese communist territory after using Kimpo Airport as an intermediary landing point, he would find it necessary to cancel existing landing rights of NWA in Korea.