Digital Archive International History Declassified digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org December 12, 1970 Report, Embassy of Hungary in North Korea to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry Citation: Report, Embassy of Hungary in North Korea to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, December 12, 1970, History and Public Policy Program Digital Archive, MOL, XIX-J-1-j Korea, 1970, 54. doboz, 81-108, 002584/3/1970. Obtained and translated for NKIDP by Balázs Szalontai. http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/116596 Summary: The Embassy of Hungary in North Korean reports on North Korea's relations with the Soviet Union and China as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Credits: This document was made possible with support from the ROK Ministry of Unification and the Leon Levy Foundation. Original Language: Hungarian Contents: English Translation Korean Translation
[ ] On November 21st of this year, the departing Bulgarian ambassador, Cde. Misho Nikolov [emphasis in the original], left for home for good. [ ] The utterances which the Korean leaders in sequence: Kim Il Sung, general secretary of the KWP CC and chairman of the DPRK Council of Ministers; Pak Seong-cheol [Pak Song Chol], member of the KWP Politburo and second vice-chairman of the Council of Ministers; Kim Dong-gyu [Kim Tong Gyu], member of the KWP Politburo and CC secretary; and Heo Dam [Ho Tam], member of the KWP CC and foreign minister made in the presence of the departing Bulgarian ambassador were particularly important, partly because these statements were made on November 18, 19, and 20, respectively, i.e., only a few days after the end of the 5th congress of the KWP, and they covered various important questions of internal and foreign politics which had been left unmentioned, or covered in a conspicuously brief way (and in a rather debatable perspective), at the Korean party congress [ ]. On November 18th, Comrade Kim Il Sung [emphasis in the original] received Comrade Ambassador Nikolov for a farewell visit. [ ] [Kim Il Sung:] Comrade Ambassador, please tell Comrade [Bulgarian leader Todor] Zhivkov that when the relationship of these two allied [Communist] Great Powers was good, the Koreans were relaxed, but when their relationship deteriorated, the situation of the Korean people became very difficult. It is very difficult to regulate our relations with our two big allies without offending any of them in the process. We, Koreans, make great efforts not to offend any of our elder brothers. We, Koreans, on our part, intend to reinforce our contacts with both elder brothers on the basis of Marxism-Leninism, and during this process we do not intend to please any of them to a greater extent than the other [emphasis in the original]. [ ] Following the signing of the armistice, different and contradicting views and tendencies appeared in our party, but we overcame them. Due to similar circumstances, a few fraternal parties found themselves in a difficult situation in 1956. Here the situation did not degenerate to such an extent as in other countries, because the membership of our party remained united. Our experiences have proven that one should not weaken the education of the party membership and the youth, not even for a single moment, because otherwise both the party membership and the youth will fall victim to the enemy [emphasis in the original]. [ ] When the KWP and the government of the DPRK insist on solving the Korean question, they do not want to make the international situation more difficult. The KWP does not want a world war to break out because of Korea [emphasis in the original]. [ ] The outbreak of a war between South Korea and the DPRK may indeed result in the involvement of their allies, which would mean the start of a new world war. We, Koreans, do our best to keep the solution of the Korean question within the confines of Korea, or rather that of South Korea. Comrade Ambassador, please tell Comrade Zhivkov: if we use sharper words now and then, this does not mean that we give up the idea of peaceful unification [emphasis in the original]. In our opinion, the most important element of our efforts for [achieving] a solution is [our effort to facilitate] the growth of the South Korean revolutionary forces and carry out the South Korean revolution. In our view, the essence of the solution is the following: the South Korean people should overthrow Park Chung Hee, seize power, and start negotiations with the DPRK about the peaceful unification of the motherland. We do not want to, and will not, negotiate with Park Chung Hee, because he is a national traitor, a servant of American imperialism. Up to now he invariably rebuffed every proposal of ours to establish contacts [between the two Koreas]. Park Chung Hee s latest proposal to establish certain contacts between South and North is nothing but a deceitful electioneering trick used in the campaign preceding the South Korean presidential elections of 1971. If Kim Dae-jung, the presidential candidate of the oppositional New Democratic Party, wins next year s presidential elections, we will negotiate with him. Although Kim Dae-jung is also an anti-communist, his public as well as unofficial plans are
the following: creating a democratic power structure in South Korea, guaranteeing the democratic rights of the population, establishing contacts with the Soviet Union and China, initiating talks with the DPRK about peaceful unification, and pursuing a neutralist foreign policy. And if all this can be realized, it will be indeed unnecessary to wage war to solve the Korean question. [ ] Certain people may disapprove and fail to understand our triple slogan, independence, selfreliance, and self-defense [emphasis in the original]. Certain people happen to think that the DPRK does not need support and assistance, or they think that by using this slogan, we want to keep the foreign assistance from our people. But this slogan is not directed against the fraternal countries [emphasis in the original]. When we announced this slogan, we had the South Korean situation in mind, because the South Korean people does not know proletarian internationalism. By using this slogan, we want to detach the South Korean people from the USA and Japan. This slogan already has many supporters in South Korea. Recently it was the South Korean students who raised this slogan, making a declaration in which they demanded that the USA should cease interfering in the internal affairs of South Korea. We consider the revolutionizing of the South Korean masses an important task. [ ] [Pak Seong-cheol:] It appears to us that a few foreign comrades do not sufficiently understand us [emphasis in the original]. They give us the following advice: we, Koreans, should practice greater self-restraint. Certain people are of the opinion that, for instance, we should not have sunk the South Korean patrol boat No. 56, we should not have captured the Pueblo, we should not have shot down the American EC-121 spy plane, and so on. But this is demagoguery, which is based entirely on misinformation and illusions about the USA. We do have to react to the provocative steps taken by the enemy, we must firmly defend our achievements. On November 20th, Foreign Minister Heo Dam [emphasis in the original] gave a farewell dinner in honor of the departing Ambassador Nikolov and his wife. [ ] [Heo Dam:] A few foreign comrades misinterpret our struggle against revisionism, of which our leader spoke at our 5th party congress [emphasis in the original]. Some of them already asked whom Comrade Kim Il Sung meant by speaking about revisionists. It is clear that Comrade Kim Il Sung meant, and spoke about, the revisionists of our country. This is also revealed by the fact that this subject was covered in the chapter on party work, rather than in the chapter on international activity. [ ] (Heo Dam did not tell that to the Bulgarian ambassador, but Kim Yun-seon [Kim Yun Son], the deputy head of the International Liaisons Office of the [Korean Workers Party] CC, told the Soviet ambassador, whom he informed about the results of the congress, that the revisionist elements criticized at the congress were, above all, Pak Geum-cheol [Pak Kum Chol], Ri Hyo-sun [Ri Hyo Sun], Kim Do-man [Kim To Man], and Pak Yong-guk [Pak Yong Guk], who had been replaced before or in the wake of the party conference held in 1966. At the time of their dismissal, the first was a Politburo member and CC secretary, the second a Politburo member and the head of the South Korean department of the CC, the third the deputy head of the CC department for agitation and propaganda, and the fourth the head of the International Liaisons Office of the CC.) Some of them even asked whether Comrade Kim Il Sung had had the Soviet Union in mind when he spoke about the struggle against revisionism, Heo Dam continued. We replied that this was not the case! After all, in the report [of the congress] there was no such term as modern revisionism, the term that the Chinese habitually use when they castigate the Soviet Union. The recent development of Korean-Chinese relations has raised doubts in some foreign comrades, [inspiring them to ask] whether we want to worsen our relations with the Soviet Union [emphasis in the original]. I can say, Heo Dam emphasized, that this will never happen! [emphasis in the original] We strive to improve our relations both with China and the Soviet Union. [ ] Jenő Sebestyén (Ambassador)
[ ] 금년 11 월 21 일, 임기를완료한불가리아대사, 미쇼니콜로프 [Misho Nikolov] [ 원문강조표시 ] 동지가영구귀국함. [ ] 조선지도층 순서대로조선로동당중앙위원회위원장및조선인민공화국내각수상김일성 ; 조선로동당중앙위원회정치국위원및내각제 2 부수상박성철 ; 조선로동당중앙위원회정치국위원및중앙위원회비서김동규 ; 그리고조선로동당중앙위원회위원및외무상허담 과임기완료불가리아대사가각각나눈다음의대화는조선로동당제 5 차당대회가종료된지불과며칠후엔 11 월 18 일과 19 일, 그리고 20 일이루어졌다는점에서특히중요함. 또한이들의대화는조선로동당당대회에서언급되지않았거나매우간략히 ( 또한다소논쟁의여지가있는관점에서 ) 다루어진다양한국내및국외정치문제를다룸. [ ] 11 월 18 일, 김일성동지 [ 원문강조표시 ] 는작별인사차방문한니콜로프대사동지를맞음. [...] [ 김일성 :] 대사동무, [ 불가리아서기장토도르 ] 지프코프동지에게전해달라. 이두 [ 공산 ] 대국의관계가좋은시절에는조선의인민들또한편안하였다. 그러나이관계가틀어지자조선인민들의상황또한몹시어려워졌다. 어느한쪽의감정을상하지않게하며, 동시에우리의두큰동맹국들과의관계를유지하는매우어려운일이다. 우리조선인민은마르크스레닌주의의원칙아래우리의손위형제들과관계를유지하고자나름대로노력을기울이고있다. 그리고이러한과정에서어느누구에게도치우치지않도록힘쓰고있다. [ 원문강조표시 ]. [ ] 휴전협정이후, 우리당내에도각기다른입장과경향들이나타났다. 그러나우리는이를극복했다. 우리와비슷한경위로인해 1956 년일부의공제당 [fraternal parties] 이곤경에빠진바있었다. 그러나우리의경우에는당의결속력이단단하여기타국가에서나타난것과같은상황으로치닫지는않았다. 우리의경험은우리가단한순간도당의지도를게을리해서는안된다는것을입증하였다. 그렇게되는경우, 당원과청년당원이적에게희생될수있기때문이다 [ 원문강조표시 ]. [ ] 조선로동당과조선민주주의인민공화국정부가조선의문제를해결하자고할때에는결코세계의질서를더욱어렵게하고자하는것이아니다. 조선로동당은결코한국의문제로하여금세계전쟁을일으키기를원하지않는다 [ 원문강조표시 ]. [ ] 남조선과조선민주주의인민공화국간의전쟁은연맹국가들의개입을가져올수있고, 이는곧또다른세계대전의시작을가져올수도있다. 우리조선인민들은조선의문제는우리또는남조선이해결해야할일로남겨두고자최선을다하고있다. 대사동지, 지프코프동지에게꼭전해달라 : 우리가때로날이선표현을쓴다한들, 이것이평화통일의염원을포기한다는것은아니다 [ 원문강조표시 ]. 우리가생각하기로, 문제의 [ 해결에있어 ] 가장중요한요소는남조선의혁명세력을강화시켜남조선의혁명을이루고자하는 [ 우리의노력인 ] 것이다. 우리의관점에서볼때, 문제해결의핵심은다음과같다 : 남조선인민들이박정희를타도하고, 권력을장악하고, 우리조국의평화로운통일을위해조선민주주의인민공화국과협상을시작하는것이다. 우리는박정희와의협상을희망하지않고협상하지않을것이다. 왜냐하면그는국가의배반자요, 미제국주의의하수인이기때문이다. 지금껏그는 [ 두조선사이의 ] 관계를수립하고자한우리의모든제안을모두거절했다. 박정희가최근남북간어떠한관계를수립하고자한제안은 1971 년남조선에서열릴대통령선거를노린거짓속임수일뿐이다. 만약야당인신민당의대통령후보김대중이내년대통령선거에서승리한다면우리는그와협상하겠다. 김대중또
한반공산주의자이지만그의공식및비공식계획은다음과같다 : 남조선의민주적권력구조수립, 인민들의민주권보장, 소련및중공과의관계수립, 평화통일과관련해조선인민공화국과의대화개시, 그리고중립적인외교정책추구이다. 만약이모든것이이루어진다면, 조선의문제해결을위해전쟁을벌이는것은불필요한일이될것이다. [ ] 일부는우리의 자주, 자립, 자위 [independence, self-reliance, and self-defense] [ 원문강조표시 ] 3 대원칙을받아들이지도이해하지도못한다. 어떤자들은조선민주주의인민공화국은지원이나도움이필요없다고생각하거나또는이러한선전문구를이용해우리가외부의지원으로부터우리인민들을갈라놓으려한다고생각하기도한다. 그러나이선전문구는우리형제국가들 [fraternal countries] 을대상으로한것이아니다. [ 원문강조표시 ]. 이원칙을발표했을당시우리는남조선의상황을고려한것이다. 남조선인민들은프롤레타리아국제주의를알지못하기때문이다. 이원칙으로, 우리는남조선인민들을미제와일본으로부터분리하고자한것이다. 이선전문구는이미남조선에서많은지지를받고있다. 최근에는남조선학생들이선전문구를들고일어나미제가남조선의국내문제에간섭을그만둘것을선언하기도하였다. 우리는남조선대중의혁명화를매우중요한과제라고생각한다. [ ] [ 박성철 :] 일부외부의동지들은우리를충분히이해하지못하고있는듯하다. [ 원문강조표시 ] 외국동지들은우리에게다음과같은충고를한다 : 우리조선인민들이보다자제력을길러야한다. 예를들어혹자는우리가남조선의정찰선 56 호를침몰시키거나푸에블로호를억류한것은잘못된행동이라고한다. 또미국정찰기 EC-121 을격추한것또한잘못되었다고한다. 그러나이는미국에대한환상과잘못된정보에의한악선전 [demagoguery] 이다. 우리는적의도발에맞서행동해야하며그성과를확고히방어해야한다. 11 월 20 일외무상허담 [ 원문강조표시 ] 은임기완료대사니콜로프와그의아내에게작별인사차그들을저녁식사에초대함. [ ] [ 허담 :] 일부외국동지들은지난 5 차당대회에서우리지도자께서언급하신우리의수정주의 [revisionism] 에대한투쟁을잘못이해하고있다. [ 원문강조표시 ]. 그중일부는김일성동지가언급한수정주의자들이누구인지질문하기도했다. 김일성동지는분명우리조선내의수정주의자들에대해언급한것이다. 이는이주제가국제사업부가아닌당사업부에서다루어졌다는점에서도분명히알수있다. [ ] ( 이는허담이불가리아대사에게언급한것이아니라, [ 조선로동당 ] 중앙위원회국제부부부장김양선이소련대사에게말한내용임. 김양선은당대회의결과에대해이야기하며당대회에서질책당한수정주의분자들은박금철, 이효순, 김도만, 박용국이며이들은 1966 년열린당대회이전또는이후에경질되었다고언급함. 당시이들의지위는각각중앙위원회비서및정치위원, 중앙위원회남조선사업부부장및정치위원, 중앙위원회선전선동부부부장, 그리고중앙위원회국제부부장이였음.) 허담은계속해서 그중일부는심지어김일성동지께서수정주의에대한투쟁을언급하셨을때소련을염두에둔것이아니냐고묻기도했다 라고말했다. 우리는그것은사실이아니라고대답하였다! [ 당대회 ] 보고서에는중공이소련을책망할때항상사용하는 현대수정주의 라는용어가사용되지않았다. 최근조 - 중관계의방향은일부외국동지들의혼란을초래하여, 우리는 [ 이들로부터 ] 소련과의관계악화를원하는것이냐는질문을받기도했다 [ 원문강조표시 ] 허담은 그런일은결코없을것이다! [ 원문강조표시 ] 우리는중공과소련과의관계를개선하기위해힘쓰고있다 라고강조함. [ ] 제노세바스티안 (Jenő Sebestyén)
( 대사 )