Journal of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 6 April 1960

USSR EMBASSY IN THE DPRK [faded USSR   TOP SECRET

MFA stamp:                     Copy Nº 3

Nº 70 0832s

2[0] April 1960 22 April 1960]

[Handwritten notations:

to [[illegible name] and

G. Ye. Samsonov]

JOURNAL

of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A. M. Puzanov for the period

25 March through 11 April 1960

Pyongyang

[…]

6 April 1960

I visited the Ryonsonsky [sic] meatpacking plant with Embassy Counsellor V. A. Zharkov where I had a conversation with director Pak Yeong-seon (appointed to the work about two months ago) and chief engineer Ju Jeon (he has worked since the meatpacking plant began operation and was at practical work in the USSR at Ulan-Ude). After the conversation I inspected the plant's manufacturing departments.

During the conversation the chief engineer said that the plant began operation at the end of 1956 and was mainly engaged in the production of canned meat and fruits and also meat and sausage items in 1957. Beginning in 1958 the product mix of output produced expanded with the production of several types of canned vegetables, chiefly pickled cucumbers. In 1959 a new refrigeration department was built with the efforts of the plant equipped with five compressor systems manufactured at the Pukchunsky [sic] machinebuilding factory patterned after Soviet compressors. The refrigeration capacity of the plant tripled as a result of the construction of the new department. Beginning in 1960 the plan began a considerable expansion of the product mix of the canned vegetables being produced, in connection with which the construction of a large new 15,000-square-meter department to produce canned vegetables is being finished.

In 1959 the plan produced 4,000 tons of meat and 3,000 tons of canned food, including 1,500 tons of canned meat. As the director reported, last year the plant did not bring the state a profit at the same time it did not produce significant losses. This year, an increase in the plant's profitability is expected thanks to the introduction of the new refrigeration equipment and the expansion of the product mix of the output product. The meat products production plan for the current year has been considerably reduced. The director explained this by the fact that the task of rapid development of animal husbandry and increasing the total number of livestock requires a temporary reduction of the slaughter of livestock.

At the present time a daily average of 480 pigs and 20 cattle are slaughtered at the plant. The average live weight of pigs varies between 40 and 60 kg and the meat yield is about 50%. The cattle primarily come from the provinces of Jagang and Ryanggang. The plant sends the horns and bones to the Pyongyang artworks factory. The production of carpenter's glue has been organized at the plant .

A total of 1,800 people work at the plant right now. This year the construction workers' collective has committed itself to turn over 200 apartments for the workers by 15 August, as a result of which all the plant workers will be provided with housing.

In reply to the question, does the plant management have any requests of the Soviet side, the director said that the management would like to restore communication with the Soviet specialist who worked at the plant (he promised to identify the name later) and gave the plant workers much help in organizing the production of canned vegetables.

He also reported that the plant is experiencing an acute need of spare parts for equipment produced in the GDR. He gave a good opinion of the operation of the Soviet equipment.

It was neat and clean and in all the departments inspected. The necessary repairs are being made.

The conversation was interpreted by Embassy interpreter D. A. Priyemsky.

[…]

USSR AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

[signature]

(A. PUZANOV0

Five copies printed

1st - to Cde. A. A. Gromyko

2^nd - to Cde. Yu. V. Andropov

3^rd - to the USSR MFA DVO

4^th - to Cde. I. I. Tugarinov

5^th - to file

Nº 241 12 April 1960

Drafted by Puzanov

Typed. at.