Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 1 October 1957

Incoming Nº 02821s

2 November 1957

012904gs

4 November 1957

USSR EMBASSY IN THE DPRK         TOP SECRET

Nº 260 Copy Nº 1

6 October 1957

JOURNAL

of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A. M. PUZANOV

for the period 1 through 25 October 1957

1 October 1957

I visited Kim Il Sung in accordance with MFA instruction Nº 1886/Ts dated 29 September, a telegram received on the night of 30 September-1 October.

Having heard out the report I gave, Kim Il Sung said that the CPSU CC had decided well and correctly. The enemies ought not to be given an excuse to use this event in their propaganda.

In the conversation which took place Kim Il Sung reported that the KWP CC Presidium and DPRK government have approved the composition of the Party-government delegation to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Great October in Moscow. The personnel composition of the delegation is as follows: Kim Il Sung (head of the delegation), Kim Chang-man, Nam Il, Pak Mun-gyu (Minister of State Control), and Ri Sin-pal (DPRK Ambassador in Moscow).

Kim Il Sung said that they are going to Moscow with great eagerness and impatiently await the meetings with CPSU and Soviet government leaders. They very much want and hope for a meeting with CPSU CC First Secretary Cde. N. S. Khrushchev, Deputy USSR Council of Ministers Chairman Cde. A. I. Mikoyan, and USSR Minister of Defense Cde. G. K. Zhukov. Kim Il Sung said that we have not been in Moscow since July of 1956 and have not met with the Communist Party leaders in more than a year. Many questions have accumulated since that time. We would like to talk and consult with the CPSU leadership about issues of socialist development in the DPRK, about intra-Party issues, about issues of the country's defense in the event of attack, and about the reunification of North and South Korea.

Kim Il Sung reported that the CC Presidium had decided to convene a KWP CC Plenum on 17 October at which the issue of construction would be heard. Pak Geum-cheol [Pak Kum Chol] was approved as the speaker.

In reply to my question, would there be other issues at the Plenum, Kim Il Sung replied that no other issues are being submitted to the Plenum.

Kim Du-bong spoke at the last CC Presidium meeting, as Kim Il Sung said. In Kim Il Sung's words, he asked that he be given an opportunity to speak self-critically about his position with regard to the factionalists before the August 1956 CC Plenum at the Presidium or at the KWP CC plenum. The Presidium decided to hear Kim Du-bong at its meeting before the KWP CC Plenum.

I asked Kim Il Sung, how Kim Du-bong reacted to the CC Presidium not recommending him for re-election as Chairman of the VNS [Supreme People's Assembly] Presidium?

Kim Il Sung replied that in a personal conversation with him Kim Du-bong admitted his guilt before the Party in connection with the actions of the factionalists before the August CC Plenum last year. In Kim Il Sung's words, Kim Du-bong said that after the he could not remain in such a high post and that he was ready to speak self-critically and will take any work that the CC determines.

in a conversation with Kim Il Sung also at the last Presidium [meeting] Kim Du-bong asked that he be given a person to help him write what he plans to say at the CC Presidium. Kim Il Sung said, I said that Kim Du-bong can speak without notes; his speech at the Presidium will be recorded by a  stenographer and sent to him for correction. But inasmuch as Kim Du-bong insisted on his request, the Presidium assigned him a CC department chief.

I informed Kim Il Sung that by a 14 September 1957 instruction the USSR Council of Ministers had granted the DPRK government's request for technical assistance in the repair of the Nampho seaport.

Kim Il Sung thanked the Soviet government for the assistance given.

Speaking of the progress of the investigation of the case of the anti-Party group of Choe Chang-ik, Pak Chang-ok, and others, Kim Il Sung declared that there would be no more arrests. Concerning the Party members who joined this anti-Party group, Party organizations are considering and taking steps through Party channels right now. We are not hurrying to finish the investigation in order to sort it out in detail and substance.

At this point I tactfully noted that, considering the situation in the country, there are no reasons and circumstances producing a need to quickly finish this case, but as regards the foreign situation, then obviously the KWP CC considers it advisable to pursue the matter so as not to give the Americans and South Koreans any basis for propaganda toward their malicious ends.

Kim Il Sung agreed with this comment.

Kim Il Sung then reported that Kim Il is in the PRC and is concluding the talks associated with the draft of the DPRK five-year plan. The largest difficulties are being caused by the issue of deliveries of coke and cotton from the PRC. In this connection we decided to keep up to 60,000 hectares for cotton in 1958 and to plant cotton in feeding blocks since this year's experience shows that a high yield is obtained with such a means of planting. Then Kim Il Sung invited me to visit and see the cotton harvest in agricultural cooperatives for myself. I thanked [him] and said that I would avail myself of this invitation.

Speaking of the production of textiles, Kim Il Sung said that they are also putting great pressure on the production of synthetic fiber. There is an agreement with the GDR about the delivery of part of the equipment for a factory to produce synthetic fiber from calcium carbide. At the present time our professor, who will visit the USSR on the way back to familiarize himself with the production of synthetic fiber at Soviet enterprises, is in the GDR about the issue of the production technology and the equipment.

Kim Il Sung also reported that they have manufactured and successfully put into operation a small rolling mill by themselves.

At the end of the conversation Kim Il Sung informed [me] that beginning on 2 October he will leave for the dacha in the area of the Suphung Hydroelectric Power Plant to continue the vacation interrupted in connection with the elections to the VNS.

Nam Il was present at the conversation.

The conversation lasted one hour…