Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 8 April 1957

SOVIET EMBASSY IN THE DPRK TOP SECRET

Nº 35 Copy Nº 2

[USSR MFA Stamp:

Far East Department

Secret

Incoming Nº 01132

3 May 1957]

The Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A. M. PUZANOV

for the period 5 to 12 April 1957

AVPRF F. 0102, Op. 13, P. 72, Delo 5

Pyongyang

8 April 1957

I presented [my] credentials to Kim Du-bong, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.

Kim Du-bong touched on the following issues in the conversation that was held after the presentation.

We have had difficulties with food (rice). Last year we gathered a decent harvest. At the present time the KWP CC and DPRK government are taking steps for the harvest to be even better and to eliminate the difficulties with food. There are grounds to think that this problem will be solved successfully. When developing heavy industry, on this basis we help agriculture and are also developing light industry.

Nam Il, who was present at the conversation, said that right now we are producing up to ten meters of cloth per unit population (note: it was actually 8.4 meters in 1956) and have set the task of bringing output to 20 meters; inasmuch as we have little cotton we will develop the production of synthetic fiber.

Nam Il then said that today, when discussing the issue of cement, they had decided to raise its production to 2,500,000 tons. This would completely meet the needs in construction, including the construction of concrete roads, and it would also provide an opportunity to sell cement to other countries - to the Soviet Union for Siberia; Indonesia is asking us to sell [them] cement.

Touching on domestic political issues, Kim Du-bong said that during the Hungarian events (evidently Kim Du-bong had mixed up the dates since this actually occurred in July and August of 1956) factionalists and dissenters were found in the Party who wanted to undermine Party unity, but we dealt with them and rebuffed them. Now we have unity and solidarity in the Party.

After I passed greetings, wishes for good health, and fruitful activity from the leaders of the Soviet Party and government, and also the gratitude of Cde. K. Ye. Voroshilov for the invitation to visit the country and the reasons why this could not be done at the present time, Kim Du-bong said:

We have received much help from the Soviet Union, the PRC, and other countries of the socialist camp. We are trying to use this aid as best as possible. In inviting Cde. Voroshilov, we wanted to show him what we had done and how we are using the aid which is being given; I was away when Cde. Mikoyan was here last year and could not talk with him, but I very much wanted to talk.

Nam Il was present at the conversation.

[…]

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

/signature/ (A. Puzanov)

Five copies

Gromyko

Fedorenko

Kurdyukov

Solodovnik

file

1957