Journal of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 14 December 1960

TOP SECRET

[faded USSR

MFA stamp:   Copy Nº 1]

SOVIET EMBASSY

IN THE DPRK

0198s

21 January 1961

31 December 1960

Nº 193

JOURNAL

of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK Cde. A. M. PUZANOV

from 19 November through 28 December 1960

[…]

14 December 1960

I paid a return visit to Romanian Ambassador Emil Stanciu.

The Ambassador told of his reception by Kim Il Sung and Choe Yong-geon. During the reception Kim Il Sung talked in general terms about the situation in the DPRK and also provided information that a KWP CC Plenum had been convened on 20 December of this year which examined the results of the fulfillment of the economic plan for 1960 and the plan for the development of the DPRK economy for 1961; it also especially examined the issue of further measures concerning the development of agriculture.

In reply to my question whether Kim Il Sung said that the report of the KWP delegation about the results of the Moscow Conference of Representatives of Communist and Worker's Parties would be heard, as Kim Il talked about this in a conversation with me, E. Stanciu replied that Kim Il Sung said nothing to him about this. During the conversation with Choe Yong-geon, the Ambassador said that the latter told about responses in South Korea to the decision of the 7^th session of the Supreme People's Assembly.

Then Emil Stanciu said that during protocol visits all the ambassadors, with the exception of the Albanian, Vietnamese, and Chinese [ambassadors], made critical comments without any questions from him about the fact that in their reports the Korean leaders are not telling the people about the great aid which the Soviet Union and the other socialist countries are giving the DPRK in the recovery and development of its economy.

The Ambassador asked how correct this is.

I replied to the Ambassador that in the last report at the 7^th session of the Supreme People's Assembly Deputy Premier Ri Jeong-ok said nothing at all about the aid of the socialist countries to the DPRK in the recovery and development of its economy. Other reports made previously also spoke about this, but little. It could be said that on this issue the Korean comrades are exhibiting duplicity and inconsistency. On the one hand, for example, when they start up a particular enterprise built with the aid of the socialist countries, they speak quite broadly about this in the press; or, when preparing to meet Cde. N. S. Khrushchev rallies and meetings of blue- and white-collar workers are held at all enterprises and agricultural cooperatives. The Embassy has received over 37,000 complimentary letters and telegrams. In these telegrams and also, as we know, at the rallies and meetings of workers much was said about the enormous aid of the Soviet Union to the DPRK. On the other hand, very little is said in official reports about the aid of the Soviet Union and socialist countries or, as in the last report of Ri Jeong-ok, nothing is said at all.

[…]

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK [signature] (A. Puzanov)

Five copies sent

1 - Cde. A. A. Gromyko

2 - Cde. Yu. V. Andropov

3 - Cde. V. I. Tugarinov

4 - UVPI MID SSSR [Translator's note: While the last two abbreviations expand to "USSR MFA" the only known expansion of the first abbreviation is "Directorate for POWs and Internees Affairs"]

5 - to file

Nº 543, re

30 December 1960