By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The government protested the U.S. plan to lift a ban on travel by Americans to North Korea in 1977, according to diplomatic documents declassified Tuesday.
Seoul prepared four measures as the United States informed it that Washington would allow Americans to travel to North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and Cambodia.
As part of the measures, Seoul began closely watching North Korea's propaganda work for the Korean community in the United States through Korean-Americans who visited North Korea. Seoul also checked if the U.S. policy toward North Korea would remain unchanged.
The Park Chung-hee government also repeatedly asked the United States to maintain the travel ban to North Korea.
However, the Jimmy Carter administration refused to abide by Seoul's request.
Washington explained that the lifting of the travel ban was made because of the Supreme Court's decision and its North Korea policy would not change.
Meanwhile, the Korean government thought that the United States was moving to improve relations with North Korea as well as Cuba and Vietnam, and sought countermeasures.
Actually, North Korea contacted the United States twice at the early stage of the Carter administration, according to the documents. At the request of Pyongyang, Pakistan also asked the United States to make direct contact with North Korea.
But Washington declined the request, reiterating its position that Washington can't talk with Pyongyang without the presence of Seoul.