WEEKLY REVIEW- PUEBLO IMPASSE UNBROKEN

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06847416
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: March 16, 2020
• Case Number: F-2018-00123
• Publication Date: February 23, 1968

Approved for Release: 2020/03/06 C06847416
cret
(b)(3)
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
KIX R.
-9
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VI
":71 W
Jap-Streiret
� 50g
(b)(3)
23 February 1968
Sc No. 00758/68
V-� Z-297"
Approved for Release: 2020/03/06 C06847416
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TO
CONTENTS
(Information as of noon EST,.21 February 1968)
Far East
Page
THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE 1
VIETNAM 2
The second wave of coordinated attacks: against urban
centers. lacked. and intensity of the earlier.
Tet,offensive,,but indicates that the Communists in-
tend to keep.. up. the military pressure Saigon's.
recbvery effort may suffer from Ky's resignation as.
chairman of the Joint Task Force.
1
COMMUNIST THREAT PERSISTS IN SOUTHERN LAOS � 5
TheHanticipated:Communist military, offensive in the
BolOvens plateaufhas.not yet developed but the enemy
is Maintaining a' credible threat in. the area and
could strike-withAittle.advanced warning. � .
SERIOUS DISORDERS pgRsisT IN COMMUNIST CHINA 6
Conflicts between armed civilian- factions are still
occurring in many provinces and the armed forces ap.--
pear to be' involved on a larger scale than at any
time since last' summer.
PUEBLO IMPASSE UNBROKEN 9
Theqqorth Koreans: continue to imply strongly that .
their handling of the.Pueblo'crew 'will be dependent.
in large part On us actions. They clearly 'intend to. -
use the crew as hostages to forestall US pressure and
induce concessions.
THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE
Page
Europe
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WEEKLY 'REVIEW
'23 Feb 68
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FAR EAST
The coordinated rocket and mortar attacks on
some 40 South Vietnamese cities and military fa-
pilities last weekend underscored the Communists'
intention to maintain pressure on population cen-
ters in an effort to demoralize the Saigon govern-
ment and army, and to tie down allied forces.
Skirmishes on the outskirts of Saigon and
Mortar attacks on targets in the center of the city
Continued and there are indications of preparations
for another major ground assault against the capi-
tal. North Vietnamese forces also continued spo-
radic shelling of Khe Sanh and other allied bases
in the Demilitarized Zone area but there were no
clear indications of the timing of a major ground
attack on these positions.
The Saigon government's recovery program has
1
lo?een jeopardized by the resignation of Vice Presi-
dent Ky and General Nguyen Duc Thang from the joint
Eouth Vietnamese - US recovery task force. The
government also risked further political disarray
by arresting three prominent opposition figures.
In Laos, North Vietnamese forces remain poised
to attack Saravane in the southern panhandle but ac-
tion so far has been limited to skirmishing around
outlying posts and to harassing fire on the city's
Airstrip. In view of the low morale of government
defense forces, it is doubtful that they could re-
sist a concerted thrust to seize the city. The
capture Of Saravane, which has been in government
hands since the 1962 Laos settlement, would raise
the possibility that the Communists intend to up-
set the fragile status quo in the country.
There has been no change in North Korea's ap-
parent intention to exploit the captured Pueblo.
crew as hostages to forestall US pressure and to
maneuver for US concessions. Panmunjom has warned
the US to act discreetly and has strongly implied
that treatment of the US crew will be d
in large artib
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WEEKLY REVIEW. 23 Feb 68
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PUEBLO IMPASSE UNBROKEN
The North Koreans continue
to imply strongly that their
handling of the Pueblo crew will
be dependent in large part on
US actions., They are clearly
intent on using the crew as host-
ages to forestall US pressure
and induce Concessions.
General Pak Chung-kuk, the
senior Nort? Korean representa-
tive at Panmunjom, on 19 February
warned that Pyongyang would care-
fully watchf every future. US move
and cautioned the US to act "dis-
creetly." ie pointedly protested
the US bu4d-up Since the Pueblo
seizure and US plans to increase
military asSistance to South
Korea.
In addition, during the past
week variouS North Korean spokes-
men have again warned that the
crew may be punished in accordance
with North Korean law.
In South Korea initial
criticism of the Vance mission
has given way to an official ef-
fort to play down differences
with the US. Senior officials
in Seoul now are apparently con-
vinced that they must put the
best possible face on the recent
discussions.
The foreign minister, in
contrast to. an earlier lukewarm
endorsement of the joint communi-
que issued at the conclusion of
the mission, stated publicly on
17 February that the communiqug
signified that there was complete
accord between Seoul and Washing-
ton on what, constituted an at-
tack on South Korea. In line
with this more moderate public
Page 9
posture, the chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff has is-
sued instructions to all major
commands to maintain close re-
lations and cooperate with US
forces in Korea. The order
pointedly observed that to do
otherwise would help North Korea
to drive a wedge between the
South Koreans and the Americans.
There have been widespread
press reports in Seoul of an im-
minent cabinet shake-up growing
out of the North Korean attempt
on President Pak's life last
month and Seoul's unhappiness
with US handling of the Pueblo
incident. Those most likely to
be removed by President Pak are
reportedly the minister of de-
fense, the minister of home af-
fairs, and one economic minister.
Any changes at this. time, how-
ever, would be largely a face-
saving gesture by Pak and prob-
ably would not foreshadow any
change in South Korean policies.
_During the past week, North
Korean military activities re-
turned to normal.
Six Soviet combat ships
which deployed in reaction to
the US naval task force off Korea
have returned to Vladivostok.
Three other combat ships and
five auxiliaries continue to
follow the US forces.
WEEKLY REVIEW
23 Feb 68
Approved for Release: 2020/03/06 C06847416