Note about a Conversation between the DPRK Ambassador in Berlin Comrade Pak Il-yeong and Comrades Kohrt and Demel on 26 May 1959 at 1500 hours

SED Central Committee

Department of International Relations

Archival Signature: SAPMO-BA, DY 30, IV 2/20/134

N o t e

about a Conversation between the DPRK Ambassador in Berlin, Comrade Pak Il-yeong [Pak Il Yong]

and Comrades Kohrt and Demel on 26 May 1959 at 1500 hours

 I. Comrade Pak Il-yeong informed us that students from South Korea are staying in many capitalist countries in Europe (Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, England, France). Many of these students exchange letters with several authorities in the DPRK. They want to let them know that they no longer intend to return to South Korea but want to move to the DPRK. They ask Korean authorities to facilitate their entry into the DPRK.

On instructions by the 2^nd secretary of the KWP Central Committee, Comrade Pak Il-yeong asked the following questions:

1. Would the SED Central Committee agree if about two to three comrades will be deployed in the DPRK embassy in Berlin from the South Korea Department of the KWP Central Committee? Official they would be commissioned with studying the German question and intra-German issues, but also deal in a secret manner with South Korean students returning [to the DPRK] from West Germany. Currently about 105 South Koreans are studying at universities and colleges in Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and other cities. Comrades from the KWP Central Committee would be officially accredited as embassy personnel and internally deal with all issues concerning the return of these students. They are supposed to work secretly with the students.

2. In case our party decides on deploying these comrades in Berlin: Can the embassy get in touch with respective sources from the [West] German Communist Party in order to obtain information about the attitudes of those [South Korean] students?

3. Whether there can be a written agreement between both parties [SED and KWP] about this type of cooperation with the KWP? Here the ambassador referred to analogous cooperation with the Communist Party of China in this area. There exists a respective agreement between the CCP and the KWP.

II. Comrade Pak Il-yeong asked whether he can have a conversation with Comrade Glückauf about intra-German issues.

III. Comrade Pak Il-yeong informed he is commissioned by the 2^nd secretary of the KWP Central Committee to work more intensively on issues of reunification of the two German states by way of a confederation, as well as on the problem of a peace treaty and other intra-German issues. In particular, he has to get familiar with forms and methods of the struggle led by our party [SED] and the government of the GDR. Here the ambassador referred to the talk between Comrade [Hermann] Matern and the 2^nd secretary of the KWP Central Committee during the former's visit to Korea.

We let Comrade Pak Il-yeong know he will soon receive our responses to all of his questions.

[signed] Demel

Suggestions for responses:

ad I.: We should allow the KWP Central Committee to deploy two to three comrades in their embassy in Berlin to deal with these questions.

After due review process, we should also approve that the Korean comrades will receive information about the attitudes of South Korean students living in West Germany via a [SED] comrade from the office the Central Committee Department of Foreign Policy. In our opinion, it is unnecessary and inappropriate to have a written agreement on the tasks of these [Korean] comrades.

ad II.: A talk with Comrade Glückauf will be arranged by the SED Department of Foreign Policy (sector socialist foreign countries).

ad III.: The Department of Foreign Policy will provide Comrade Pak Il-yeong with according material and organize regular talks with the comrades in charge.

[signed] Demel