Journal of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 15 December 1960

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USSR MFA stamp:   Copy Nº 1

SOVIET EMBASSY

IN THE DPRK

0198s

21 January 1961

31 December 1960

Nº 193

JOURNAL

of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK Cde. A. M. PUZANOV

from 19 November through 28 December 1960

[…]

15 December 1960

I received Bulgarian Ambassador Georgy Kostov Bogdanov at his request.

The Ambassador provided information that the Korean embassy security force is asking for identity documents and the purpose of their visit from people of Korean nationality who want to enter the Embassy grounds. He also told about DPRK MFA officials refusing to give statistical data about some types of production output and other things, referring to "a great workload", although at the time the questionnaire was sent to them they had promised a reply concerning the issues of interest to the Embassy in two or three days.

The Ambassador also said that they had been refused a subscription to the military newspaper Choson Imingun (The Korean People's Army), referring to the fact that this newspaper is given only to those embassies in Pyongyang which have military attaches. At the time it was also added that this newspaper is being sent to the Ministry of Defense of the People's Republic of Bulgaria and if the Embassy has need it can avail itself of this newspaper through its ministry.

The Ambassador then said that he wanted to get the necessary explanation from the deputy minister of foreign affairs regarding all these issues.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Seong-Cheol held a showing of two films for ambassadors and counsellors of the socialist countries at the Munsiri resident (near the civilian airfield). The story of the life and revolutionary struggle of Ri Je Seon [sic] (the brother of current KWP CC Presidium member Ri Gyo-seon [sic]) was in the feature film "Zarya Zanimaetsya [The Dawn is Busy]". The film was well-made. What stands out is that the role of Kim Il Sung, who at the time led an anti-Japanese partisan struggle, is excessively praised in the film.

A color documentary, "Avgustovsky Prazdnik [August Holiday]" was shown second. The film was very well-made. The Minister said that this film is the first color film made by the Pyongyang film studio.

I told the Minister that the Embassy is able to show the Korean arts officials the feature film "The Queen of Spades". How does Pak Seong-Cheol feel about this?

The Minister replied the he welcomes this showing.

[…]

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK [signature] (A. Puzanov)

Five copies sent

1 - Cde. A. A. Gromyko

2 - Cde. Yu. V. Andropov

3 - Cde. V. I. Tugarinov

4 - UVPI MID SSSR [Translator's note: While the last two abbreviations expand to "USSR MFA" the only known expansion of the first abbreviation is "Directorate for POWs and Internees Affairs"]

5 - to file

Nº 543, re

30 December 1960