Telegram from Pyongyang to Bucharest, No.76.121, TOP SECRET, April 8, 1967

On April 7, I was summoned by Jeong Jun-taek [Jong Jun Thaek], the vice-president of the Cabinet of the DPRK, the president of the State Planning Committee for atomic energy, who asked me to send a letter to the president of the Romanian Council for Atomic Energy, Horia Hulubei, in which the North Korean government expressed its will to expand technical and scientific cooperation between the two countries in the field of atomic energy. In this respect, Jeong Jun-taek pointed out that the DPRK planned to send a 7-person technical-scientific delegation working on nuclear energy to Romania in the second and third term of this year, for approximately 10 days. The aim of this trip would be for the Korean delegation to become acquainted with the successes and the experience accumulated in Romania from the research carried out on atomic energy, with a particular interest in Romania’s experience with research in the areas of technology and physics, nuclear reactors, introduction of radioactive isotopes and radiations in the national economy, and with a particular interest in the Romania’s research successes on nuclear fuel and materials. The North Koreans wish to visit research institutes and industrial units using radioactive isotopes.

The President of the North Korean Committee for Atomic Energy mentioned that such a request had been already brought to the attention of their counterpart in Romania on the occasion of the talks between the North Korean vice-president and Prof. Titeica, at their meeting in January 1967 at Dubna. The North Koreans expressed their desire to receive a response from the Romanians, together with the period most convenient for the Romanian counterpart and a preliminary work agenda.

We would like to inform you that similar requests have been sent to other socialist countries in Europe. The Polish Ambassador has already given his country’s approval with respect to the requests made by the DPRK.

We recommend that you analyze with goodwill the extant opportunities, with a view to accepting the visit of the North Korean technical-scientific delegation.

We shall send the letter through currier.

Signed: N. Popa

7.IV./19