Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 16 May 1957

SOVIET EMBASSY IN THE DPRK TOP SECRET

Nº 133 Copy Nº 2

31 May 1957

[partial image of a stamp:

[[TOP]] SECRET

Incoming Nº 5925-gs

11 June 1957]

[USSR MFA Stamp:

Far East Department

Secret

Incoming Nº 01490s

12 June 1957]

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

for the period 6 through 29 May 1957

Pyongyang

[…]

16 May 1957

I was present at a reception held by the DPRK government in honor of Soviet military advisers returning to the USSR. Cde. Choe Yong-geon [Choe Yong Gon], First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Defense, spoke at the reception. In his speech he spoke warmly about the great work done during the war and in the postwar period by the military specialists to help teach the KPA military proficiency and advanced military technology. Main Military Adviser General-Lieutenant Danilov spoke in reply. Cde. Kim Il Sung, who was present at the reception, proposed a toast to the CPSU and Soviet government, and to eternal and unbreakable friendship between the Soviet and Korean peoples.

In my short speech I noted the heroic services of the Korean people during the war years and the war for the independence of their motherland, and at the labor front in the postwar years in the cause of reviving and developing the economy. I proposed a toast to the KWP CC and the DPRK government, to the KPA and its senior command staff, and to eternal and unbreakable friendship between the Soviet and Korean peoples.

In a conversation which took place during the reception Cde. Kim Il Sung reported that right now they are examining the five-year for the development of the economy for 1957-1961. A detailed report of the chairman of DPRK Gosplan about the draft plan was heard on 15 May at an expanded meeting of the KWP CC Presidium in the presence of all ministry and department leaders and chairmen of provincial Party committees and people's committees. The Presidium created sections for the leading economic sectors for more careful examination of the draft plan with the participation of the leaders of large enterprises. The sections are headed by KWP CC Presidium members:

for heavy industry - Kim Il Sung

for construction and transportation - Choe Yong-geon and Pak Ui-won

for agriculture - Kim Il and Nam Il

for light industry and commerce - Pak Jeong-ae [Pak Yong ae] and Pak Kim Il

for culture, education, and health - Kim Chang-man and Hong

 [Myeong-hui; translator's note:

 the rest of the name was off the

 reproduced page]

Kim Il Sung said that foreign currency for the purchase of equipment, goods, and raw materials has been found for the most difficult year of 1958,

He reported further that the DPRK trade delegation sent to Indonesia had concluded a trade agreement: the DPRK will sell electrolytic zinc [ehlektrozink], lead, cement, window glass, silk fiber, mineral fertilizer, etc., and to buy in Indonesia rubber, tea, vegetable oil, coconut products, coffee, quinine, and other goods. Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Jin Ban-su left for India and Burma to hold talks about the conclusion of a trade agreement.

In return I informed Kim Il Sung that Cde. Gladkov had arrived and begun to work as acting Soviet trade representative in the DPRK. According to the Memorandum on the Additional Supply of Goods to the DPRK USSR Minister of Foreign Trade Cde. Kabanov gave instructions to study and find opportunities to meet it. I noted at this point that favorable action on the problem will encounter certain difficulties inasmuch as the Memorandum was sent at the end of April and materials and goods allocated for foreign trade have all been allocated. Kim Il Sung noted that he fully understands this and that they usually send their requests about deliveries from the USSR with a big delay after they find out the opinion and the amount of the deliveries of goods and materials from the other socialist countries, and that this actually creates certain difficulties. Taking advantage of this, I said that it would be desirable to receive the request for 1958 in June (as Trade Representative Cde. Gladkov has said to me about this).

Kim Il Sung replied that now they are fully able to do this.

Kim Il Sung invited me to come fishing  on Sunday with him, Nam Il, and Pak Jeong-ae. I thanked him and expressed my agreement.

The reception was held in a warm, friendly atmosphere.

[…]

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

[signature]   (A. PUZANOV)

Five copies printed:

1 - Cde. Gromyko

2 - Cde. Fedorenko

3 - Cde. Kurdyukov

4 - Cde. Solodovnikov

5 - to file

Nº 353

31 May 1957