TNAG-0077-FCO40-113-Action-against-Communist-press-1967 — Page 95

SECRET

KOREA, DEMONSTE

40 Would you nonetheless feel that, even on this basis, advantages of proceeding against Communist press outweigh disadvantages of allowing them to continue unchecked?

5. As regards your paragraph 7, the thinking hitherto has, as you know, been that if we had to act against the press it would be preferable to do so under Emergency Regulations rather than under existing law, for reasons given in your paragraph 7 (see paragraph 4 of our telegram No. 1083 of 25 May). From point of view of "provocation" to Feking we here feel that the difference between the two courses would in present circumstances be only marginal, but we should be grateful for Hopson's urgent assessment. There is also the consideration that if you proceeded under the existing law and this proved unsatisfactory, it might then be that much more difficult to introduce Emergency Regulations for the purpose.

6. As seen from here, therefore, we are inclined to think that balance of advantage would lie in favour of proceeding under Emergency Regulations unless you still felt that it would for local reasons be better to act under existing law. Grateful your comments, and to know what form action under Emergency Regulations would take.

0

Ministers.

In light of your reply we will submit at once to

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