Record of a Conversation with DPRK Ambassador Ri Yeong-ho

from the journal SECRET Copy Nº 1

of P. F. YUDIN 1 November 1957

Nº 378

[handwritten: 14555-gs

29 October 1957]

RECORD OF A CONVERSATION

with DPRK Ambassador RI YEONG-HO

[faded stamp:

… 2990s

28 November-2 December 1957]

19 October 1957

I received Ri Yeong-ho [Ri Yong Ho], who came on a protocol visit.

After mutual greetings Ri Yeong-ho said that he took the post of ambassador to the PRC comparatively recently and therefore he still does not have sufficient experience. He hopes to get help from the Soviet Embassy in his work. I expressed readiness to give such help at any time. I advised him to establish the closest, confidential relations with the Chinese comrades. In Ri Yeong-ho's words he has good ties with the leaders of a number of Chinese institutions and in the future he hopes to expand them even more. He informs the Chinese friends about several issues of the domestic life of Korea and receives important information in turn. Ri Yeong-ho briefly related that recently a special Korean delegation had unofficially arrived in the PRC for a discussion of the draft DPRK five-year plan and trade issues. The exchange of opinions which was conducted, in the course of which all the main issues which were the object of discussion were mainly solved, turned out to be very useful.

Touching on his relations with the ambassadors of other countries accredited in Peking Ri Yeong-ho noted the especially good relations he had established with the ambassadors of the GDR and DRV. In Ri Yeong-ho's opinion, this is explained by the fact that there is much in common with Korea in the present situation of both countries. I had to have a  serious argument with the Ambassador of Poland, Kiryluk, said Ri Yeong-ho, since the former tried to distort the substance of the August (1956) plenum of the Korean Worker's Party CC and expressed an incorrect assessment of the events in Hungary and Poland, asserting in particular that there was no counterrevolutionary rebellion in Hungary but a demonstration of the masses against the incorrect policy of the Party and government. Having received an appropriate rebuff, Kiryluk stated that he, Ri Yeong-ho, was a "Stalinist" and understands nothing. Ri Yeong-ho asserted his point of view and pointed to the inappropriateness of using the term "Stalinist". Ri Yeong-ho and Kiryluk did not discuss these subjects after this incident.

Ri Yeong-ho noted at present that nothing bad is being observed in the attitude of the Yugoslavs toward the officials of the Korean Embassy.

Of the diplomatic representatives of the capitalist countries the Indians, Burmese, and Indonesians treat the Koreans well. Ri Yeong-ho noted that right now the DPRK is organizing trade relations with these countries.

At the end of the conversation Ri Yeong-ho expressed a wish to organize a joint evening of Soviet and Korean embassy officials.

Embassy attaché A. A. Brezhnev was present at the conversation.

USSR AMBASSADOR TO THE PRC

[signature] (P. YUDIN)

[distribution}:

Cde. N. T. Fedorenko

Cde. I. F. Kurdyukov

KI [Information Committee]

to file

drafted by Brezhnev

23 October 1957

Nº 704