North Korea August 1956 Plenum Incident
This collection of documents examines the post-Korean War disputes and debates within the Korean Workers' Party which culminated in the 1956 August Plenum. (Image, Kim Il Sung visits Moscow, 1949, NARA)
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June 28, 1955
Report, Embassy of Hungary in North Korea to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry
Report from Pál Szarvas, Hungarian Ambassador to the DPRK, describing a meeting he had with Kim Il Sung on 24 June 1955. Topics they talked about included Hungarian experts in the DPRK, the economic situation in the DPRK and factionalism within the North Korean CC.
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August 17, 1955
Report, Embassy of Hungary in North Korea to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry
Report from Pál Szarvas, Hungarian Ambassador to the DPRK, describing a meeting he had with Soviet Ambassador Vasily Ivanovich Ivanov on 29 July 1955. He talks about the unusually frank conversation they had in which the latter openly criticized the secretiveness and reservedness of the North Korean government. The Soviet Ambassador asked that the Hungarian embassy, if it shares the same opinion as the Soviets, exert pressure on the North Koreans to correct their mistakes. Szarvas, though he implies his agreement with Ivanov, suggests that no action be taken at the current time.
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December 02, 1955
Decision of the KWP CC December Plenum, 2-3 December 1955, 'Concerning the Anti-Party, Factional Activity of Pak Il-u'
The resolution lists the accusations raised against Pak Il-u and his collaborators Jang Si-u, Pak Heon-yeong, and Ri Seung-yeop, and moves to remove Pak from the Korean Workers' Party Central Committee.
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December 04, 1955
Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK V. I. Ivanov for 4 December 1955
DPRK Vice Premier Pak Ui-wan and Minister of Construction Kim Seung-hwa report to Ivanov about the KWP CC plenum decision to expel Pak Il-u and Kim Yeol from the party and the Central Committee. The conversation touches on the issue of a group of Soviet Korean members who have been accused of supporting anti-Party reactionary writers.
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1956
Communist Party of the Soviet Union Central Committee Directive to Soviet Ambassador Ivanov
The CPSU CC requests that Ianov send reports on the decisions of Korean Workers' Party Central Committee September plenary session and how the discussions of the provincial party committees are proceeding.
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April 23, 1956
Record of a Speech delivered by Kim Il Sung at the Third Congress of the Korean Workers' Party
Kim Il Sung draws on Khrushchev's speech at the 20th Congress of the CPSU in his own speech at the Third Congress of the Korean Workers' Party, and speaks to the successes of the Three-Year Plan and discusses the implementation of a similar Five-Year Plan.
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April 30, 1956
Record of the Third Congress of the Korean Workers' Party by L.I. Brezhnev
Brezhnev reports on the Third Congress of the Korean Workers' Party and concludes that there is a misunderstanding of the 20th Congress of the CPSU in North Korea. Brezhnev also mentions a meeting that took place, at Kim Il Sung's request, with the CPSU delegation that was present at the Third Congress.
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May 30, 1956
Report by N. T. Fedorenko on a Meeting with DPRK Ambassador to the USSR Ri Sang-jo
Discussions between Fedorenko and Ri Sangjo about the economic troubles in North Korea and potential Soviet aid, allowing the Ministry of Internal affairs to observe Soviet institutions, unrest in the KWP CC, and the power of Kim Il Sung
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June 08, 1956
Memorandum of Conversation with Choe Chang-ik
Deputy Prime Minister of DPRK, Choe Chang-ik, discuss the unhealthy situation in the Korean Worker's Party and the North Korean government. Choe argues that there is nepotism within the personnel selection process and that a cult of personality exists within the KWP. Choe also expresses concern regarding the difficult economic situation in the DPRK.