Minutes of the Meeting concerning the Discussion of a Draft Resolution of the KWP CC Plenum

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MINUTES OF the meeting concerning the discussion of a draft resolution of the KWP CC plenum

A draft resolution of the upcoming KWP CC plenum on the issue of making changes to the decision adopted at the August CC plenum about holding Choe Chang-ik, Yun Kong-hum, So Hwi, Ri Pil-gyu, and Pak Chang-ok responsible to the Party was considered on 22 September at a meeting at Kim Il Sung's where Kim Du-bong, Choe Yong-geon, Kim Chang-man, Nam Il, and also Peng Dehuai, Mikoyan, and Ambassador Ivanov were present.

Mikoyan noted that the main provisions which had been discussed at the 20 September CC Presidium [meeting] were written down in the draft resolution. However, some wording requires clarification. The resolution points out that insufficiently patient efforts to save the comrades who had made mistakes were exhibited at the August plenum. Mikoyan said that the word "save" could be excluded. Further, the resolution affects only the people discussed at the August plenum and is similar to the report for the press. Nothing is said in this resolution about the rights of CC and Party members, about criticism and self-criticism, and other shortcomings. It would be advisable to say in this resolution that in the opinion of the CC what it is necessary to talk about what needs to be done for the development of intra-Party life. It ought to speak about the main principles of Party work, the observance of the norms of Party life, and about the need for patient persuasion of comrades and an explanation of the mistakes committed. In Mikoyan's opinion, it would be better to adopt a separate short resolution on this issue.

Kim Il Sung noted that there are sections about Party life in the delegation's report at the August plenum about the trip to countries of people's democracy where it talked about the struggle with the vestiges of the cult of personality, about rooting out bureaucratism, and about the development of democracy and about the need to strengthen educational work among Party members.

Mikoyan agreed with these arguments and said that in the proposed draft resolution there is a need to make reference to the decision of the August plenum and to call for the necessary patience to be shown with respect to CC members for the purpose of the cohesion of Party ranks and the development of collective leadership in the CC, correcting incorrect opinions through arguments and persuasion.

Peng Dehuai noted in his statement that he agrees with Mikoyan's opinion with respect to a settlement of this issue, and thinks that right in this draft decision it ought to say that in the future work of the CC it is necessary to display greater attention to the opinions of CC members and to people who have expressed incorrect opinions, and to use educational measures.

Mikoyan agreed with Peng Dehuai's comment, saying that this provision ought to be included in the draft resolution.

Then Peng Dehuai noted pointed out that at the 20 September CC Presidium meeting Kim Il Sung said that the KWP Central Committee needed to learn the appropriate lesson for the method of education to predominate in its work.

He agreed with the need to remove the word "save" from the resolution. Peng said, we need to display more concern and attention to people, and not to save them.

After this Mikoyan said that he agreed with the proposed measures of correcting the organizational conclusions. In his opinion, the KWP CC Presidium ought to think about providing work to the restored CC members suitable to their position. They need to be involved in work; otherwise, you will produce dissatisfied people.

At this point Mikoyan noted that the decision with respect to the other officials who were not CC members also ought to be reconsidered in order to induce calm in the Party and unite its ranks with this.

Kim Il Sung said that they understand this perfectly and are going to [adopt] all these measures conscientiously. But, he said, the work done with plenum members yesterday showed that serious explanatory work will be needed for all CC members to understand the need to carry out the above measures with respect to the people who were punished at the August plenum.

At this point Peng Dehuai noted that he agreed with the opinion about the need to reconsider the previously adopted decisions about the people who were punished both with regard to CC members as well as those who are not CC members.

Then Mikoyan asked Kim Du-bong whether he had been informed about the CC Presidium meeting and his attitude toward all these issues.

Kim Du-bong replied that he received these measures with great satisfaction and is very thankful that representatives of fraternal Parties have come and given useful advice to the CC Presidium, which will help them in work. He then expressed concern about whether all 116 CC members and candidate members will agree with these measures for, being old Party members and revolutionaries, they think that they were right when adopting the decisions at the August CC plenum.

In Kim Du-bong's opinion, it is necessary to conduct serious explanatory work among them in order to make changes in the decision of the August plenum. In this connection Kim Du-bong said, is it not too early to hold a CC plenum today[?]

Kim Il Sung said that they conducted explanatory work with individual CC members yesterday and did not exactly receive favorable results. Everyone agrees that it is necessary to reconsider the August plenum decision, and to exhibit magnanimity, however they consider it necessary for the people held responsible to criticize their mistakes and shortcomings. Some of the CC members spoke against the advisability of reconsidering the decisions.

Mikoyan noted that it is clearer to the CC Presidium how to act in this case and does not object to the Plenum being postponed from today to tomorrow in order to use today for preparatory work, and to open the plenum on the morning of 23 September with the expectation that it will go in an organized manner.

Everyone agreed with this opinion.

Recorded by V. I. IVANOV

Three copies printed

1- to Cde. Mikoyan

2- to Cde. Shepilov

3- to file

Nº 963

Typed by Fokina

24 September 1956

[illegible signature]