Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 19 December 1957

...19 December 1957

I received Pak Ui-wan at his request. Pak Ui-wan told about the December KWP CC Plenum and a meeting of the Pyongyang Party organization activists.

Pak Ui-wan said that at the Plenum, along with a discussion of the documents of the Moscow conferences of representatives of Communist and worker's Parties, much time and attention was devoted to intra-Party issues, the discussion of the factionalists.

There were many questions and sharp remarks during my speech. For example, Choe Yong-geon heatedly interrupted my speech and talked several minutes about how during last year's visit of representatives of the CPSU and CC to the DPRK I had incorrectly criticized the KWP CC organization department and had disrupted the unity of the CC. Choe Yong-geon demanded that I tell the Plenum what I was seeking from A. I. Mikoyan when I criticized the CC organization department.

Kim Il Sung, seeing Choe Yong-geon's passion, tried to calm him.

I asked Pak Ui-wan whether there were any rude or insulting expressions from Choe Yong-geon in his remarks directed at you like "dog", as happened at the August 1956 CC Plenum?

Pak Ui-wan replied that there were not.

There were also many questions and remarks to me from Kim Chang-man. He spoke in a spirit that to me had little national or Korean.

Counsellor Pelishenko asked, was Kim Chang-man speaking about what you said at the September Plenum because "Pak Ui-wan is Ivan"?

Pak Ui-wan replied that this was not said.

At the Party activists' meeting I had to speak for more than two hours, including about an hour and a half replying to questions about my position with respect to the factionalists.

It needs to be said that there were many good, purposeful, correct speeches at the Plenum and at the Party activists' meeting, especially from the chairmen of provincial Party committees.

On the whole, said Pak Ui-wan, the December KWP CC Plenum should be assessed quite positively. This Plenum served the cause of further strengthening  of the unity of the countries of the socialist camp, strengthening the unity of the KWP, and also the cause of fighting for peace and the peaceful reunification of Korea.

In reply to my question about the nature of the statements about the CPSU and the Soviet Union Pak Ui-wan replied that feelings of genuine friendship, respect, and gratitude were expressed from Kim Il Sung and other leaders, as well as Plenum participants as a whole.

At the same time, noted Pak Ui-wan, it was notable that at this KWP CC Plenum the atmosphere of unity and the equality of the countries and Parties which participated in the meetings in Moscow while they were at the celebration of the 40^th anniversary of Great October was stressed.

Embassy Counsellor V. I. Pelishenko was present at the conversation.