Skip to content

July 24, 1953

Draft Telegram Concerning the Participation of Cde. Kim Il Sung in the Signing of the Armistice Agreement

This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation

[CPSU CC letterhead]

 

Nº 119/9

24 July 1953

to Cdes. Molotov and Korobov

 

Excerpt from Minutes Nº 19 of the CC Presidium meeting of 24 July 1953

 

Draft Telegram to North Korea Concerning the Issue of the Participation of Cde Kim Il

Sung in the Signing of the Armistice Agreement

 

Approve the attached draft of the telegram on this issue submitted by the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cde. Molotov)

 

CC SECRETARY

Nº 342

 

Telegram from the Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Soviet ambassador to the DPRK with recommendations of the CPSU CC to the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the DPRK not to take part in the signing of the Armistice Agreement in Korea

 

 

24 July 1953

 

ref. point 9 of Minutes Nº 19

 

NORTH KOREA

TO THE SOVIET AMBASSADOR

 

Pass the following to Kim Il Sung and the Korean friends: the CPSU CC is in favor of the armistice in Panmunjom being signed by one of the deputies to the prime minister of the DPRK and Peng Dehaui for the Chinese-Korean side. Kim Il Sung himself is not obligated as Prime Minister to personally sign the armistice. The solution of the issue of who will sign the armistice for the Chinese-Korean side belongs entirely and completely to the governments of the DPRK and PRC and should not by any means be dependent on pressure from the Americans, etc.

 

In present conditions a trip by Kim Il Sung to Panmunjom is fraught with a certain risk in view of the behavior of the South Koreans, who might resort to some sort of provocation against Cde. Kim Il Sung. The interests of the matter require precluding the slightest possibility of such a provocation from the South Koreans and this might be ensured by Kim Il Sung not personally taking part in the signing of the armistice at Panmunjom. On this issue the CPSU CC does not advise yielding to any other considerations since these considerations are of secondary importance in this situation. But, of course, Kim Il Sung's refusal to go to Panmunjom need not be ostentatious. And what is more, just because Kim Il Sung will not go to Panmunjom it is extremely important that Cde. Peng Dehuai be in Panmunjom to personally sign the armistice together with a deputy prime minister of the DPRK.

 

The CPSU CC does not think that the Americans will manage to use the failure of Kim Il Sung to go to Panmunjom in any way to postpone the signing of the agreement. The postponement of the signing of the agreement for such a reason would not receive the support of international public opinion.

 

We think that there is no need to fear an unfavorable impression on the Korean and Chinese peoples if Kim Il Sung does not personally sign the armistice agreement. We have no doubt that the Korean and Chinese friends will be able to properly explain the situation if there is a need for this.

 

These are the considerations to which the CPSU CC would like to direct the attention of the Korean and Chinese friends. We hope that these considerations will be taken into consideration.

 

Inform Kim Il Sung and the Korean friends that we are sending the considerations mentioned above to [Beijing] at the same time to be passed to Cde. Mao Zedong and the Chinese friends.

 

Telegraph when this is done.

 

The CPSU CC recommends that Kim Il Sung should not take part in the signing of the armistice agreement in Panmunjom, Korea.

Author(s):


Document Information

Source

AVP RF, F. 3, Op. 65, D. 830, pp. 170-71. Contributed by Andrei Mefodievich Ledovskii.

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

2013-07-22

Language

Record ID

117427

Donors

Leon Levy Foundation