He would receive a monthly stipend of $250. The trust fund and its restrictions would remain in place for five years, with automatic renewal every five years unless No revoked it.

No still did not understand what a trust fund was. As he listened to the banker, he concluded that the Americans were trying to chisel him. Confused, suspicious and seething, he refused to sign, walked out of the world’s most important bank and went back to his hotel room.

No had gone to Riggs with a three-man entourage, including Captain Kim, the Army escort and translator who had been with No since they left Okinawa. No had become friends with Kim, a gregarious Korean American who grew up in Los Angeles. But No was not aware that the Armycaptain had, during press conferences in San Francisco and again in Washington, put words in his mouth. In the Washington office of the U.S. Information Agency, where reporters were summoned when No arrived in the capital, Kim told reporters that No had “asked for a lawyer to the MiG.” No denies this. Kim also told the press that whatever money remained after No had paid for his college education and provided for his mother “would go to the Korean people,” which was not No’s intention.

After arriving in Washington but before the meeting at Riggs National Bank, Kim had taken No up to Capitol Hill, where he met Vice President Nixon (No found him friendly), was formally introduced at a House session and had a brief meeting with Speaker