TELEGRAM 075.205 from the Romanian Embassy in Tehran to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

TELEGRAM 075.205

To: the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Second Directorate)

From: the Romanian Embassy in Tehran

Subject: Iranian-North Korean relations

Date: April 6^th, 1978

Classification: Secret

The DPRK Ambassador [to Iran], Ri Yong-ho, who will soon return to the DPRK, informed me about the following matters:

1. In its relations with Iran, the DPRK is confronted with South Korean competition. Every time North Korea discusses a problem with Iran, the South Korean embassy was fully informed in the next few days by the Iranians.

For this reason, his mission and that of the office he directed was very difficult, the Ambassador added, especially since the North Korean diplomatic mission was inaugurated approximately 5 years ago, so it was in the initial stages of its activity.

2. The Ambassador told me that in the foreseeable future, Iran will be visited by a DPRK delegation. The two sides are now negotiating on the date for the visit of this delegation.

Given the influence enjoyed by South Korea in Iran, the North Koreas regard this visit as a very important initiative to counter the political [efforts] undertaken by the South Korean embassy.

3. Ambassador Ri Yong-ho talked to me in great detail about the current situation in the Korean peninsula, about the American-Japanese-South Korean conspiracy to make permanent the separation of the two Koreas.

One of the actions undertaken in this respect, he added, is the attempt of the United States to [push forward] the simultaneous admission of the two Koreas in the UN, as two distinct entities, two separate countries.

This attempt is rejected by the DPRK and by socialist countries, the Ambassador noted.

4. Next, the [North] Korean Ambassador pointed out that the South Korean authorities are trying to create certain situations which they then try to portray as a recognition of South Korea by socialist countries.

South Korean diplomats, he said, are trying to have official contacts, to invite or to be invited at various diplomatic events, which they then present as [recognition of South Korea by socialist countries]. The South Koreans know they have no chance of doing so with the Romanians and the Chinese, but they still try this tactic on other socialist diplomats, in some cases getting positive answers from them. There were cases when socialist diplomats in other countries invited, even to official functions, South Korean diplomats, the Ambassador added without any other clarifications.

5. The North Korean Ambassador spoke in very high terms of Romanian-North Korean relations.

Signed

Alexandru Boabă