Skip to content

October 21, 1976

Chairman of the Central Information Group to the Deputy Minister

This document was made possible with support from Kyungnam University

Central Evaluation and Information Group

Director

 

Berlin, October 21, 1976

Oet/Ht

 

Personal!

 

Strictly Secret!

 

Representative of the Minister

Director of Service Units

 

According to Western press reports the governments of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland have declared all employees of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (PDRK) as personae non grata and ejected them from the country.

 

The official basis given for this measure is illegal trade in weapons, the purchase of large quantities of spirits and cigarettes for the purpose of obtaining foreign currency, foreign currency manipulation, as well as smuggling of narcotics. In connection with this Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish citizens were reported arrested in their respective countries.

 

The reports further indicate that defense agencies of these Scandinavian countries, Iceland, other NATO states (including the FRG), and West Berlin, are involved in this issue. Among others, the reports state that the "headquarters" of the smuggling organization, as well as of the PRDK's intelligence activities in Europe is that country's embassy in the GDR.

 

The Comrade Minister asked me to share with you that information on the following problems is to be worked on with the use of all possible capabilities and sent to the Central Evaluation and Information Group (to the Director personally!):

 

-Noncompliance or violation of GDR customs and foreign currency regulations in exportation or importation of goods by members of the PDRK embassy in the GDR or other Korean citizens temporarily staying in the GDR or in transit through the GDR.

 

-Currency manipulation with GDR Marks and other currencies in capitalist countries and in West Berlin or Socialist countries.

 

-Transfer of either banned goods or duty-free or untaxed goods from the GDR or its capital in Berlin to West Berlin or from there into the GDR or its capital.

 

-Use of the GDR's territory, particularly its capital in Berlin and traffic across its border (the checkpoints at Berlin Schönefeld Airport or Friedrichstrasse) for further smuggling business or speculative purposes.

 

-Connections and contacts from the GDR to certain circles in West Berlin, in the FRG, and other capitalist states as well as to persons in Socialist states (perhaps in the People's Republic of Poland) for the purpose of cooperating or use of the territory of these states and West Berlin for such activities.

 

-Cooperation with the embassy of the People's Republic of China in the GDR, with Maoist, leftist extremist circles in West Berlin and the FRG, connections to intelligence agents, weapons dealers, and other criminal elements in West Berlin, the FRG, and other capitalist states.

 

-Known members of the PDRK embassy in the GDR and other PDRK citizens who were or are involved in such activities (indicators on the person and known activities - as concrete as possible).

 

-Secret intelligence, intelligence, and other suspicious activity by diplomats and other PDRK citizens in the GDR against our Republic and other Socialist states, attempts to acquire and transfer information (indications in this context about what information, agencies, establishments, social circles, and individuals raise particular interest), contacts with negative enemy forces in the GDR, particularly in the capital of Berlin, attempts to smuggle in and distribute propaganda materials.

 

-Possible use of the territory of the GDR including its capital Berlin for secret intelligence activity against capitalist states (among others, the Scandinavian countries), for example the smuggling of persons and material, meetings, creating cover identities for persons active in secret intelligence services, or related measures.

 

-Possible role and function of the PDRK embassy in the GDR as a center for secret intelligence agency activity against NATO or individual NATO member states, especially the FRG.

 

-Known activities by involved diplomats and other PDRK citizens in the GDR (indications on individuals).

 

-Information from Western agencies about all related activities, persons, connections, etc.

 

[signature]

Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland expelled all embassy workers from DPRK, accusing them of smuggling weapons, alcohol and cigarettes.The Chairman of the Central Information Group (Zentrale Auswertungs- und Informationsgruppe) of the GDR requests the Deputy Minister check all Korean embassy workers, including diplomats and their relative, and to keep them under careful surveillance.

Author(s):


Document Information

Source

BStU, HVA XVIII, 11327, 5-6.

Rights

The History and Public Policy Program welcomes reuse of Digital Archive materials for research and educational purposes. Some documents may be subject to copyright, which is retained by the rights holders in accordance with US and international copyright laws. When possible, rights holders have been contacted for permission to reproduce their materials.

To enquire about this document's rights status or request permission for commercial use, please contact the History and Public Policy Program at [email protected].

Original Uploaded Date

2017-06-08

Language

Record ID

145163

Donors

Kyungnam University