Remarks on the Draft Statutes of the KWP

Secret. Copy No. 1

5 March 1956

Department of the CPSU CC

Comrade Shcherbakov, I.S.

I am sending you “remarks on the draft statutes of the Korean Workers' Party,” prepared by the embassy of the USSR in the DPRK.

Attachment: referred to on three pages / your eyes only/vkh No. 812s-dv/

Deputy Director of the Far Eastern Division of MFA USSR

/S. Suzdalev/

To the archive

The material was used in preparing the conclusion of the draft statutes of the KWP.

I-VP/NM
No. 567-DV I. Shcherbakov
5.3.56 31-III-56


Remarks on the Draft Statutes of the Korean Workers' Party

The draft charter was studied by embassy officials and after an exchange of opinions it was decided to make the following remarks.

1st Paragraph 4. Remove the word “anti-Japanese” and substitute the following wording: “The Korean Workers' Party is the successor of the glorious revolutionary tradition of the masses of our country who fought for national independence and liberation against the foreign colonizers.

Such wording would more succinctly reflect the history of the national-liberation struggle not only against the Japanese, but also against the American colonizers and that this struggle was carried out not only by the working class, but also by the peasantry.

2nd Paragraph 3. Replace the wording with, for example, the following: “The Korean Workers' Party advocates all possible support to the people of south Korea in their struggle for liberation from imperialism and feudal exploitation…,” eliminate the words “American” and “pro-American.”

Such a wording must not be interpreted as meaning that the KWP sets before itself a task with such a warlike character.

3rd Paragraph 1. The wording needs to be changed and the following given: “The Korean Workers' Party struggles for the future fortification of the peoples' democratic system and the defensive strength of the northern half of the republic, constituting the material base for the peaceful unification of the country and guaranteeing independence.” Otherwise, the words “…and the military fortification of the revolutionary-democratic base” may be interpreted as a summons to an arms race.

In the 3rd paragraph the phrase “and for the strengthening of military preparedness of the country” should be eliminated since it is redundant.

4th Paragraph 1. The wording should be changed, making it similar to the analogous wording in the statutes of the CPSU: “Members of the Korean Workers' Party can be from any profession, being citizens of the DPRK, recognizing the platform and statutes of the party…” Such wording will not exclude from the Party craftsmen and the petty bourgeoisie.

5th Paragraph “b”. In the expression “must wage an uncompromising battle with factionalists and all varieties of antiparty elements…” remove the words “attempting to divide the party” since it may be understood that there is a factional struggle within the Party and that it lacks unity.

In point “d” of the same paragraph, remove the stipulation: history, geography and customs of ones' native land.

6th Paragraph “v”. Remove the stipulation “if a real reason exists, since it could serve as a well known loophole for suppressing criticism.

The third and fourth sections of the rules advisable to switch places, the fourth section place immediately following the twelfth paragraph and the third section in place of the fourth.

7th Paragraph “b”. It is advisable to increase the length of party membership of those recommended to three years, and add, that those recommended must have known the recommender through association for not less than one year.

21. Remove from the rules entirely since it may be misunderstood by those without a party in the sense that the party conceals from them the offences of its members.

35th Paragraph 1: It is necessary to slightly alter the form and give the following version. “the extraordinary Party Congress shall be convened at the proposal of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party or at the request of no less than one-third of the total membership represented at the preceding Party Congress.”

39th Paragraph 1: It is not necessary to elect vice chairmen to the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party since it is a superfluous bureaucratic level.

45. The functions of the Central Auditing Commission are very limited: It has been reduced only to the auditing of finances. It is advisable to also grant it the right of inspection over the expediency and correctness of work of the central organs of the party.

63rd Paragraph 1: Give for editing: “The executive committee of the primary party organization shall be formed in party organizations when there are 15 or more party members. Remove the words “probationer members.”

Please consider these revisions and inform us about the possibility of delivering them to our Korean friends as they had requested.

Charge d' Affaires of the USSR in Korea
A. Petrov