Journal of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 22 February 1960

USSR EMBASSY IN THE DPRK [faded USSR   TOP SECRET

MFA stamp:                     Copy Nº 3

Nº 58 0767s

25 March 1960 9 April 1960]

[handwritten:

"to Cdes. [[N. P. Varnov?]] and Samsonov, G. Ye.

9 April 1960 [[illegible signature]]"]

JOURNAL

of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A. M. Puzanov for the period

16 February through 24 March 1960

Pyongyang

[…]

22 February 1960

I received Romanian Ambassador Dumitru Olteanu at his request.

The Ambassador expressed great dissatisfaction at the established procedure for getting unpublished information, the lack of information from the DPRK MFA leadership about the most important DPRK domestic and foreign policy issues, and also asked [me] to explain the substance of the restructuring of industrial management being conducted by the Korean friends inasmuch he was not at the conversation with Pak Yong-guk.

For my part, I told the Ambassador that we view the established procedure for getting unpublished information through the MFA as putting [matters] in a certain order, which the friends did not previous have. Any Ministry official gave out any information at the request of a particular [Embassy] official which naturally could be used by people hostile to the DPRK. We have in the Embassy a procedure established by the friends [which] causes no problems.

With respect to the restructuring of industrial management I said that Pak Yong-guk, the Chief of the KWP CC International Department, provided information to the ambassadors about this issue in detail and at length. I spoke about the substance of the restructuring on the basis of Pak Yong-guk's report.

xxx

I received Mongolian Ambassador Tsevelmaagiyn Dash at his request.

The Ambassador reported that back home throughout the entire country there are rallies and meetings at which heartfelt gratitude is being expressed to the Soviet people, the CPSU CC, and the Soviet government for the new aid being given the Mongolian people in the development of the republic's economy. Dash also warmly thanked the Soviet government on behalf of the Embassy for the systematic aid being given to the Mongolian people.

The Ambassador asked how the Soviet Embassy studies a host country.

I replied to the Ambassador that we study the host country through meetings and conversations with the Korean friends, visiting enterprises, agricultural cooperatives, educational institutions, and on the basis of published information the results of the fulfillment of economic plans, and by a daily familiarization with the content of the national press.

The Ambassador also asked what construction is being done with our help on the bank of the Taedong River.

I replied to the Ambassador that at the request of the Korean friends our government had decided to build a Soviet exhibit at which the achievements of industry, agriculture, science, and culture in the USSR will be displayed. The exhibit will be opened for the 15^th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from the Japanese occupiers by the Soviet Army.

The Ambassador invited me, the counsellors, the military attaché, and the trade representative to a reception on 27 February in connection with the 14^th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Aid and the Agreement on Cultural and Economic Cooperation between the MNR and the USSR.

I thanked [him] for the invitation.

xxx

A festive meeting was held at the Moranbong Theater by the Board of the Korean-Soviet Friendship Society on the occasion of the 42^nd anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy. [The following] were present from the leadership: Pak Jeong-ae, Kim Chang-man, Jeong Il-yong, Ri Hyo-sun, and Nam Il.

Deputy Minister of National Defense Kim Bong-hak gave a report. The substance of the report was good.

Military Attaché General-Lieutenant A. I. Mal'chevsky gave a brief speech at the meeting.

Questions of Party political work were touched on in a conversation with Pak Jeong-ae and Kim Chang-man which was held after the meeting.

Pak Jeong-ae reported that on 23 February a conference of all chairmen of provincial Party and people's committees will be held in the KWP CC at which Kim Il Sung will speak about the issue of restructuring the methods and style of the work of district Party committees. In the course of the conversation I said that in the past two or three years delegations of Party officials from all the socialist countries had been in the Soviet Union in order to study the experience of Party work of CPSU Party organizations. I hinted, were the friends not thinking of sending a delegation of KWP Party officials to the Soviet Union this year.

One could say that Pak Jeong-ae and Kim Chang-man did not give any definite answer. Pak Jeong-ae tried to recall in what year such a delegation had gone to the Soviet Union.

[…]

USSR AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

[signature]

(A. PUZANOV)

Five copies printed

1 - Cde. A. A. Gromyko

2 - Cde. Yu. V. Andropov

3 - Cde. DVO, USSR MFA

4 - Cde. I. I. Tugarinov

5 - to file

Nº [208]