Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 7 September 1960

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SOVIET EMBASSY IN THE DPRK

Nº 163   Copy Nº 3

19 September 1960

JOURNAL

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

24 August through 9 September 1960

Pyongyang

[…]

7 September 1960

I visited Kim Il Sung in the KWP CC at the instructions of Moscow. Present at the meeting were: Deputy Chairman of the KWP CC Kim Chang-man, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Seong-cheol, and Chief of the KWP CC International Department Pak Yong-guk. The conversation was interpreted by Embassy Third Secretary D. A. Priyemsky and DPRK MFA official Choe Won-sik (I was not informed of the issues of the meeting in advance).

First. I told Kim Il sung that in Moscow they have closely examined the ideas of the Korean friends about the discussion of the Korean issue at the 15^th UN General Assembly session described in the 9 July 1960 DPRK MFA Aide Memoire. The Soviet government expresses its complete agreement with the assessment given by the Korean friends that the current international situation and events in South Korea create a favorable situation for a vigorous denunciation of the aggressive policy of American imperialist with respect to Korea. Our government notes that the great economic and political successes of the DPRK considerably strengthen the position of the countries of the socialist camp on this issue.

I reported that the Soviet delegation at the session will be given instructions to consider the DPRK MFA ideas described in the Aide Memoire during a discussion of the Korean issue in every possible way.

The suggestion of the DPRK government about the creation of a Confederation of South and North Korea which was advanced in Cde. Kim Il Sung's 14 August report will occupy central place in the statement of the Soviet delegation about the Korean issue.

The Soviet delegation will be charged with making a statement at the session about the inclusion in the session's agenda of a special point about the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea and the introduction of a corresponding draft resolution. However, I reported that if it turns out that the situation in the United Nations is not favorable for the introduction of such an issue or resolution and a rejection of our resolution might be used as an excuse to justify the further presence of American troops in Korea then the Soviet government expresses the idea that it would be advisable to refrain from this at this session.

The Soviet delegation will also be charged with introducing a draft resolution about the immediate disbandment of the "UN commission" at a proper moment in accordance with the wishes of the Korean friends if the situation is such that this proposal might get considerable support from UN member countries.

I provided information that the USSR MFA had given instructions to Soviet embassies in neutral countries to sound out and exert corresponding influence on the governments of these countries in order to try and enlist their support for our position on the Korean issue.

As in past session the Soviet delegation will insist on the participation of DPRK representatives in the consideration of the Korean issue.

I then familiarized Kim Il Sung with the basic positions of the Soviet delegation's statement at the 15^th UN General Assembly session on the Korean issue and passed him the text of the basic positions with a request to express his ideas about it.

Kim Il Sung and those present listened to the report and the basic positions very closely and with great interest and, as was evident from their reaction, greeted the report with satisfaction and agreement. Kim Il Sung said the following: "We are deeply thankful to the Soviet government for the active support of our proposals. We completely agree with the basic positions of the Soviet delegation's statement for the 15^th UN General Assembly session on the Korean issue. These are very good positions. We have no other thoughts, but we will carefully examine them again.

Second. At the instructions of Moscow I told Kim Il Sung that the CPSU CC would consider it advisable to coordinate the issue of a single policy of the socialist countries with the KWP CC regarding the non-extension to West Berlin of the effect of the trade and economic agreement with the FRG and to describe to it those ideas which were made in Moscow's 5 September instructions.

Kim Il Sung said: "We completely agree with the CPSU CC idea which were expressed. Foreign trade officials will be given instructions to take these ideas into consideration".

Third. I informed Kim Il Sung that a stream of letters and telegrams has been coming to the Soviet Embassy in which DPRK workers welcome the upcoming visit of Cde. N. S. Khrushchev to the DPRK, express gratitude and invite him to visit their enterprises, agricultural cooperatives, and organizations. As of 6 September 1,629 such letters and telegrams have arrived, including 125 from collectives of industrial and transportation enterprises and construction organizations; 105 from agricultural collectives and state farms; 24 from leaders of provinces, cities, and districts; 42 from cultural, educational, artistic, scientific, and health organizations; 31 from other collectives, and 1,302 from individuals.

Kim Il Sung said that the population heartily welcomes the upcoming visit of Cde. N. S. Khrushchev to the DPRK and jokingly added that "the possibility is not excluded that there will be hostile telegrams in connection with the fact that spies, saboteurs, and wreckers are being sent to our country".

I told Kim Il Sung that such a possibility is not excluded, but none have been noted among the letters and telegrams. If there are such, we will inform you about this.

Fourth. I told Kim Il sung that yesterday, as acting dean of the diplomatic corps by agreement with the DPRK MFA I had to organize and hold an inspection of the newly-built stadium, the bridge over the Taedong, and the Okryugwan Restaurant by officials of the diplomatic corps. The officials of the diplomatic corps were happy at the great successes of the builders, who have mastered modern methods of construction, and are exultant at the successes of the fraternal Korean people.

Fifth. I told Kim Il Sung that Embassy officials were familiarized with his speech in the province of South Hamgyong with great attention. I noted that the ideas expressed by him about the work of the Hungnam people's committee provoked great interest.

For his part Kim Il Sung provided detailed information about the situation with the construction of a Vinalon production plant, a vinyl chloride production plant, and the state of affairs in agriculture in the province of South Hamgyong. At this point he said the following:

"Ri Jeong-ok and I, the chiefs of KWP CC departments, of Heavy Industry and Construction, and Gosplan Chairman Rim Gi-cheol[sic] spent about a week in the province of South Hamgyong. The mood of the workers and at the construction of the Vinalon and vinyl chloride plants is good. Right now we have enlisted one division of the People's Army in the construction of the Vinalon plant. The work is being done in three shifts. Three thousand people work in each shift. If the supply of the builders is well-organized then the construction will go well. The first phase of the construction will be done by May of next year. Ten thousand tons of Vinalon a year can be produced after the conclusion of the construction of the first stage. This yarn can be mixed with other synthetic fiber obtained from wood and good textiles produced. Right now Doctor of Technical Sciences Ri Seung-gi, the inventor of the means of producing vinyl chloride, is at the construction of the plant. The construction of the vinyl chloride production plant is being done there. After the end of construction the capacity of the plant will be 6,000 tons of vinyl chloride a year. The builders have taken a commitment to finish the construction of the plant by 15 October, by the 15^th anniversary of the creation of the Korean Worker's Party. Construction is in full swing right now but obviously the shortage of housing will be felt by the workers in the winter. Therefore orders have been given to build 1,000 temporary apartments. In the future permanent comfortable dwellings will be built.

Much work has been done in the province of South Hamgyong in the past year and a half to build irrigation structures. The new chairmen of the Party and people's committees of the province (they have been working a year and a half) gave orders that the first priority is to organize the construction of irrigation systems. At the present time 190 reservoirs and 400 other irrigation structures have been built. If these structures had not been built the province would have suffered badly from flooding since very heavy rain fell this year. According to an analysis by our scientists such rain falls once every 1000 years. However, there was no great damage in the province from floods or a typhoon. The peasants are expressing great joy that during the year and a half the KWP created structures allowing not only steadily high harvests to be obtained but also reliably protected against floods and typhoons. Then Kim Il Sung said that last year he recommended that the peasants in the village of [Khynsan] build an irrigation system. They listened to the advice and built an irrigation system by the beginning of this year's field work. If this system had not existed all the chibi would have been flooded and washed away by the water and all the crops in an area of more than 1,000 jeongbo. Such structures were created not just in one district but in many others.

Kim Il Sung said that a meeting of Party activists had been held. He noted, at the party activists' meeting we extolled the leadership for the good organization of the work and especially the Chairman of the provincial Party committee, Hyeon Mu-kwan [sic], who previously graduated from the Higher Party School in the Soviet Union. Industrial methods of construction are widely employed in the province. Much work is being done to cultivate vegetables for the population. The situation in agriculture is good. Last year it was an average of two and a half tons of grain better per labor day per household. This year prospects for the harvest in the province are better than last year. The population of the province is gripped with high political enthusiasm. Now the difference between the poor leadership in the past and the good leadership at the present time is very evident. In the past Chairman of the provincial Party committee Ri Yu-min, a factionalist from the Choe Chang-ik group, did not actually supervise agriculture. In the whole time he only went to the countryside once. Before, for example, the majority of the rice fields in the district of [Chanpkhyon] had uneven irrigation and the harvest was low, in the range of 1-1.5 tons. Now 85% of the rice fields are supplied with steady irrigation. Ten reservoirs have been built. Last year the harvest per jeongbo was 2.5 tons of rice. This year 3.5 tons is expected. When tractors and other machines are introduced the harvest will be still better.

Kim Il Sung said that he had been at the [Chzhoyan] cooperative, which Cde. N. S. Khrushchev is to visit. The cooperative is large, it combines 1,050 farms. It is planned to gather 20 tons of apples per jeongbo in the cooperative. This year they expect to distribute 2.7 tons of grain and up to 500 won of money per household. Kim Il Sung said, next is another cooperative where the chairman is a woman, a deputy of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Hero of Labor. This cooperative is still richer. This woman's husband participated in the revolutionary movement and died. She herself actively works as chairman. This year it is proposed to distribute an average of 3.2 tons of grain per household.

Kim Il Sung said, throughout the entire country the peasants have built many irrigation structures with the aid of state money. A total of up to 130,000,000 won of state credits have been released for these purposes. The KWP CC Presidium adopted a decision to release peasants from all debts for irrigation construction and credits received for cotton production. Kim Il Sung noted, we have an opportunity to do this since the Soviet Union released us from the payment of a large debt.

Kim Il Sung then especially stressed that this year the Party is strictly holding to a policy of unconditional observation of the socialist principle of distributing income among the peasants. Right now an article is being prepared for publication in the press on the issue of the socialist principles of distribution. As this was stressed in a general Party meeting in [Chkhonsanri] this year early crops have already distributed on the basis of these principles: vegetables, wheat, and others, which has promoted an increase of the peasants' enthusiasm. Kim Il Sung stressed that not a single one of the aspects of the principle of material interest can be ignored, and also to combine this with conducting political educational work.

On the whole, said Kim Il Sung, the results in the field of agriculture are good. The prospects for the harvest of rice, corn, and other crops is better than last year, although much more precipitation fell. By spring of next year 2,600 "Chollima" brand tractors should be produced at the [Kiyan] tractor plant and 1,000 low-power tractors.

Sixth Kim Il Sung raised the issue of the upcoming visit to the DPRK by Cde. N. S. Khrushchev at his own initiative.

Our people welcome the upcoming visit to the DPRK by Cde. N. S. Khrushchev with great enthusiasm, said Kim Il Sung. This visit will be new inspirational force for the Korean people in the construction of socialism and the struggle for the peaceful reunification of the motherland. In order to prepare to greet Cde. Khrushchev great explanatory work is being done in all provinces, for which a large number of propagandists have been sent. We expect a great political and industrial upsurge In connection with the visit to our country by Cde. N. S. Khrushchev. Kim Il Sung asked it be passed on that they will be very glad if Cde. Khrushchev can come to the DPRK together with [his] wife and other family members.

Kim Il Sung said, the DPRK MFA has sent the plan for Cde. N. S. Khrushchev's visit to our country to the Embassy. But if Cde. N. S. Khrushchev cannot be in the DPRK for the time we desire then in this event we have given instructions to Minister Pak Seong-cheol to draw up a draft program calculated for a shorter timeframe.

For my part I told Kim Il Sung that I sent the program for N. S. Khrushchev's visit to the DPRK received on 6 September, which was estimated for 9-10 days, to Moscow. We reported that you had specified a visit to the most important enterprises of various industrial sectors, two agricultural cooperatives, some structures of the largest [Anchzhun] irrigation system, and Pyongyang University. Of course, in Moscow the question might arise that Cde. N. S. Khrushchev cannot spend 9-10 days in the DPRK. Naturally, in this event the need will arise about drawing up a program calculate for a fewer number of days of the stay.

Kim Il Sung said, the main attention of the session of the Supreme People's Assembly which it is proposed to convene during Cde. N. S. Khrushchev's stay in our country will be devoted to the peaceful reunification of Korea. At this time the 15^th UN General Assembly will be occurring in New York which will discuss the Korean issue, and the recently-elected new government will be operating in South Korea. Having considered and discussed these circumstances and the international situation we are thinking of adopting at the session and officially sending a letter to the National Assembly of South Korea with a proposal about the creation of a Confederation of South and North Korea. In my report about the 15^th anniversary of the liberation of Korea this proposal was described in general form, but specific proposals will be given in the planned letter. They will probably reject our proposals but it will their duty to us.

In conclusion Kim Il Sung asked, if any questions connected with preparations for the arrival of Cde. N. S. Khrushchev arise, that I get in touch with Minister Pak Seong-cheol, who is charged by the KWP CC with carrying out all the preparatory work.

The meeting and conversation lasted two hours.

xxx

I visited Jeong Il-yong, Deputy Chairman of the DPRK Cabinet of Ministers, at his request.

At the beginning of the conversation Jeong Il-yong asked about the impression of the officials of the diplomatic corps from the inspection of the stadium, the restaurant, and the bridge and expressed gratitude for the attention displayed.

I replied that these structure make a good impression and the officials of the diplomatic corps were happy at the successes of the workers of the capital.

Jeong Il-yong expressed great satisfaction with the operation of the Soviet exhibition in Pyongyang which 713,000 people had visited in 20 days of operation. He said the exhibition is a remarkable school for the study of the experience of socialist development in the USSR.

At the instructions of the KWP CC and DPRK government Jeong Il-yong asked that a wish and request be passed to the Soviet government to extend the time of operation of the Soviet exhibition in Pyongyang by 20-30 days, that is to 5-15 October of this year. During this time, said Jeong Il-yong, we would to like for specialists of industrial enterprises and senior industrial officials, transportation, and agriculture to engage in the study of the exhibits and expositions of the exhibition more deeply.

I replied to Jeong Il-yong that I would report to Moscow about the wish and request he had expressed.

Jeong Il-yong asked whether the Embassy had any comments about the work of the Korean comrades at the exhibition.

I replied to Jeong Il-yong that I had been at the exhibition several times in recent days. I have no comments about the work of the Korean comrades. They all work conscientiously and carefully.

I also said that recently a helicopter had been assembled at the exhibition and had flown over the city with visitors to the exhibition who wished to see their capital from above.

I invited Jeong Il-yong and officials of the city people's committee to use the helicopter to inspect the city from above if they find it possible.

Jeong Il-yong expressed gratitude for the invitation.

Present at the conversation were: Pak Yong-geun [sic], Deputy Chairman of the Korean-Soviet Friendship Society (director of the Korean administration at the exhibition) and Embassy Third Secretary D. A. Priyemsky.

[…]

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK [signature] (A. Puzanov)

Five copies printed

1 - Cde. A. A. Gromyko

2 - Cde. Yu. V. Andropov

3 - Cde. V. I. Tugarinov

4 - UVPI MID SSSR

5 - to file

Nº 448, re

[date off the page]