Telegram from Pyongyang, No.061.360, Urgent, SECRET

To: Comrade Nicolae Ghenea,

Deputy Foreign Minister

On 28 August, on the occasion of an individual audience, Jeon Myeong-su [Jon Myong Su], Deputy Foreign Minister, presented the content of a declaration signed by Kim Yeong-ju [Kim Yong Ju], the North Korean Co-president of the South-North Coordinating Committee, to the Romanian Ambassador, Dumitru Popa. This declaration is due to be released to the press at an unspecified date.

In his declaration, the North Korean Co-president vehemently condemns the authorities in Seoul, the Korean Central Intelligence Agency led by Lee Hu-rak—the South Korean Co-president of the South-North Coordinating Committee—for the Tokyo kidnapping of Kim Dae-jung, the leader of the New Democratic Party in South Korea (the opposition party), and he is denouncing the terrorist-fascist activities of the South Korean government, meant to repress the democratic tendencies within society and [to preclude] the unification of the country.

In his declaration, co-president Kim Yeong-ju asks that Lee Hu-rak is removed from the position of co-president, as he proved himself to be unworthy of this forum’s mission, which is to militate for the peaceful unification of the country. He asks that Lee Hu-rak is replaced with somebody of national dignity, determined to dedicate itself to the cause of unification.

The [DPRK] Deputy Foreign Minister expressed his hope that the Romanian government pays attention to the declaration signed by Co-president Kim Yeong-ju and will take supportive measures toward the position expressed in the document.

He mentioned that the DPRK government would be grateful if the Romanian news agencies publish this document and other materials supporting the ideas present in it.

We suggest that after receiving the document from the Korean Central Telegraph Agency, our news agencies publish a summary of the declaration and a commentary on it.

We would like to add that while other chiefs of missions in Pyongyang received this brief collectively, the Soviet, Chinese and Romanian ambassadors were invited separately.

Signed: Dumitru Popa