Korean Program.—

Sec. 132. Korean Program.— (a) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to the President for the fiscal year 1955 not to exceed $205,000,000 to be expended, upon terms and conditions specified by the President, for defense support, relief and rehabilitation, and other necessary assistance (including payment of ocean freight charges on shipments for relief and rehabilitation, without regard to section 409 of this Act) in those parts of Korea which the President shall have determined to be not under Communist control. In addition, unexpended balances of funds heretofore allocated for the purpose of relief and rehabilitation in Korea pursuant to paragraph entitled “Relief and Rehabilitation in Korea”, chapter VII, Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1954, and unobligated balances of the appropriation for “Civilian Relief in Korea”, title III, Department of Defense Appropriation Act, 1954, are hereby authorized to be continued available for the purposes of this subsection through June 30, 1955, and to be consolidated with the appropriation authorized by this subsection. 68 Stat. 839 (b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the President is authorized, at any time prior to twenty-four months from the date of enactment of this Act, to transfer to the Republic of Korea, by sale or charter and on such terms and conditions as he may specify, not more than eight C1–M–AV1 vessels. Any agency of the United States Government owning or operating such vessels is authorized to make such vessels available for the purpose of this subsection: Provided, That if after investigation it is determined by the President that there are privately owned C1–M–AV1 vessels offered and available for sale by American citizens as defined in section 2 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended, at prices equal to or less than those provided for in subsection (b) (2) below, such vessels shall be acquired by an owning or operating agency designated by the President for the purpose of this subsection. Funds made available pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be available for the purpose of this subsection. (2) Such transfers shall be made at prices determined under section 3 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 (50 U. S. C., App. 1736): Provided, That such vessels shall be placed in class in accordance with minimum requirements of the American Bureau of Shipping by the owning or operating agency, and the expense of placing in class shall be reimbursed to such agency. (c) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal year 1955 not to exceed $3,452,615 for making contributions to the United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency or expenditure through such other agency for relief and rehabilitation in Korea as the President may direct. In addition, the unexpended balance of the appropriation made pursuant to the last sentence of section 303 (a) of the Mutual Security Act of 1951, as amended, is hereby authorized to be continued available for the purpose of this subsection through June 30, 1955, and to be consolidated with the appropriation authorized by this subsection. Sections 141 and 142 of this Act shall not apply with respect to assistance furnished under this subsection. (d) To the extent necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section (1) assistance may be furnished under this section without regard to the other provisions of this title and (2) the authority provided in section 307 may be exercised in furnishing assistance under subsection (a) of this section.