SEOUL BUREAU TECHNICIANS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00803R000300130004-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 18, 2007
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 26, 1998
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP82-00803R000300130004-8
17 April 1979
MSK9043
STAT
Chief, Operations Group
to-day technical ing all day-
problems at the bureau, including those related to
the functioning of our remote system.
The only lingering-problem our technicians are experiencing is
that of occasionally 1elayed access to our remote unit, primarily
as a result of the rapid turnover military personnel at Pyongtaek.
Approximately a week before arrival, for instance, our tech- STAT
nician was denied immediate access to our unit by a new chief of the
maintenance shop in which our unit is located. The INSCOM operations
officer has agreed to provide us a letter authorizing our technicians
access and they will carry the letter with them. Hopefully this will
solve the problem.
EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OFAMERICA
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
SEOUL BUREAU
APO SAN FRANCISCO 96301
Subject: Seoul Bureau Technicians
STAT
spent 6-17 April TDY at Seoul Bureau to su
i
perv
se
the move of our remote monitoring unit from a shelter to its perma-
nent site in the new operations building at The move STAT
was completed with little difficulty and with only very little lost
coverage during the 4 days our remote unit was out of operation.
During his TDY STAT
, also closely reviewed the performance of
our three technicians at Seoul Bureau since his transfer to Okinawa
on 4 November 1978. 0 confirmed that our senior local technician STAT
and the two technicians he supervises are capable of hand)
Our experience so far indicates our local technicians should be
able to handle all day-to-day maintenance at Seoul Bureau and that
we w' 1 not require the stationing of an American technician here.
time before making a definitive _L-LL_t:a more
"
judgment, however. We should be able
to make a firm judgment after next inspection visit.
Sincerely,
STAT
STAT
STAT
Chiet, Seoul Bureau
cc: Chief Engineer, Okinawa Bureau
Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP82-00803R000300130004-8
 Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP82-00803R000300130004-8
STAT
Chief, Operations Group
15 March 1979
MSK9040
check our reception of Soviet Far East regional stations that
Seoul Bureau could regularly monitor Chita, Petropavlosk, Anadyr,
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Ulan-ude, and Yakutsk, none of which is moni-
torable from Okinawa. We have been recording the above stations
for processing by BBC.
EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
SEOUL BUREAU
APO SAN FRANCISCO 96301
Subject: Russian Regional Monitoring
has confirmed during his current TDY here to
As you know, we have no Russian capability here and as a
result, we have had some difficulty with our recording effort.
Our technicians cannot keep up with routine changes in broadcast
times or frequencies and therefore we have had to have and
ere on TDY to put the project back on track. o
have worked with our technicians to enable them to
recognize station identification signals and to do a better job
of tuning in general, and their recording is considerably better
now than previously. Nevertheless, we will probably never be
able to do without periodic TDY's by Russian linguists.
Given the number of Russian stations monitorable here and
the difficulty of the recording effort without permanent Russian
capability, I would recommend the addition of a Russian monitor
to Seoul Bureau. There is clearly enough work here for one monitor,
and indeed one would probably still have to mail some recordings
to BBC for processing.
I would not recommend transferring one Russian monitor
position from Okinawa, although that would be possible. My
understanding is that covering MONTSAME in addition to the
voice stations Okinawa now monitors requires two Russians. One
of the Russian monitors now on Okinawa could be transferred here
with the new recruit going to Okinawa.
Given the BBC interest in Russian regionals, it might be
possible to have a BBC Russian monitor transferred to Seoul.
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP82-00803R000300130004-8
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The addition of a TCN here would require Embassy approval,
but I think that could be obtained. We would also of course have
to acquire an additional Category III MODE authorization; again,
I believe Embassy approval would be forthcoming.
If you approve the addition of a Russian monitor to Seoul
Bureau, I would first attempt to find a local-hire monitor,
although past efforts turned up no likely prospects and I doubt
we would be any more successful this time.
Sincerely,
STAT
Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP82-00803R000300130004-8