
The Two Koreas and the Vietnam War
This collection of primary source documents traces how both North Korea and South Korea responded to, participated in, and were influenced by the Vietnam War.
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September 07, 1972
Letters between Ahmet H. Ozbudun and C.V. Narasimhan
Ozbudun sends Narasimhan a report on Korean Red Cross talks, detente and unification, remarks by the ROK Prime Minister, remarks by the ROK Foreign Minister, remarks by the ROK ambassador to the US on ROK troop withdrawal from Vietnam, India's stance on Korean debate, and new commander-in-chief of the UNC.
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September 14, 1972
Letters between Ahmet H. Ozbudun and C.V. Narasimhan
Ozbudun sends Narasimhan a report on press release on UNCURK's report, North-South Red Cross talks, prospects for postponement, report on the UNC to the UN, military armistice commission, ROK troop withdrawal from Vietnam, US troop withdrawal from the ROK, and UNGA documentation on Korea.
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January 26, 1973
Letter, Ahmet H. Ozbudun to C.V. Narasimhan, "Ramifications of the ROK Troop Withdrawal from Viet-Nam"
Ozbudun sends Narasimhan a report on ramification of the ROK troop withdrawal from Vietnam, UN policy of the ROK, North-South contacts, ROK National Assembly elections, and the old and new constitution of DPRK.
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April 04, 1973
Telegram from Pyongyang, No.061.113, Urgent, SECRET
KWP Centeral Committee member Kim Yeongnam explains to the Romanian representative that the DPRK proposed changes in the North-South Coordination Committee meeting to ease tensions and transform the armistice into a peace treaty. Kim blames the South Korean hawks and separatists who abide by the interests of the US and Japan for the lack of progress. Despite the impasse, the North Koreans look to the internal dissent against Park Chung Hee in South Korea as a sign of support for Pyongyang.
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March 11, 1975
Telegram from Pyongyang to Bucharest, No. 059.076
North Koreans report that the South Koreans are concerned with the imminent fall of South Vietnam. At the same time, Seoul is moving to ensure the continued presence of US troops on the Korean Peninsula even after the U.N. troops’ headquarters in South Korea. While Pyongyang can observe increased popular dissent against Park Chung Hee, the North Koreas worry that not even the anti-government opposition foster anti-American sentiments
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May 10, 1975
Telegram from Pyongyang to Bucharest, SECRET, No. 059.156
At a recent state visit of the DPRK delegation to the PRC, both countries look at the developments in Indochina as positive and as predicted changes to the Korean Peninsula. Beijing agrees to increase trade and economic cooperation with North Korea while promising to keep distance from Seoul.
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May 12, 1975
Note concerning a Conversation between Ambassador Everhartz with the Head of Department II in the DPRK Foreign Ministry, Comrade Choe Sang-muk, about the Visit by Comrade Kim Il Sung to the PR China
Choe Sang-muk informs Everhartz about Kim Il Sung’s recent visit to the PRC, in which Kim discussed the situation in Cambodia and South Vietnam and the unification of the Korean peninsula.
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March 02, 1983
Hungarian Embassy in Mongolia, Report, 2 March 1983. Subject: Vietnamese views about North Korean policies.
The report concerns Vietnamese relations with North Korea. Vietnam views the policies of the ruling North Korean party to be counter to the ideals of Marxism, and has provided for strained relations. Vietnam also believes North Korea to be conspiring with China against Vietnam. The question of the Non-Aligned Movement's objectives was also a topic for discussion.