"<strong>Mostly</strong> <strong>Propag<strong>and</strong>a</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Nature</strong>:" <strong>Kim</strong> <strong>Il</strong> <strong>Sung</strong>, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Juche</strong> <strong>Ideology</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Second Korean War NKIDP Work<strong>in</strong>g Paper #3 considerable dissuad<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>fluence on <strong>the</strong> leadership of <strong>the</strong> DPRK, especially <strong>in</strong> connection with <strong>the</strong> question of <strong>the</strong> treaty, which holds important mean<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>the</strong> state <strong>in</strong>terests of <strong>the</strong> Soviet Union. […] www.wilsoncenter.org/nkidp 98
www.wilsoncenter.org/nkidp 99 Mitchell Lerner NKIDP Work<strong>in</strong>g Paper #3 December 2010 He was told that we still do not depart from <strong>the</strong> assumption that <strong>the</strong> Korean comrades ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> a course for <strong>the</strong> peaceful unification of Korea, for we are not aware of any changes to this course. In any case, under <strong>the</strong> current circumstances, we are aga<strong>in</strong>st tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> matter towards unleash<strong>in</strong>g a war, though we fully underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> desire of <strong>the</strong> DPRK to streng<strong>the</strong>n its own defense, <strong>and</strong> we actively support this. We do not underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation that reached us regard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> evacuation of Pyongyang. We have no <strong>in</strong>formation from our North Korean friends regard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir talks with <strong>the</strong> Americans <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> aims of <strong>the</strong>se talks. As far as <strong>the</strong> question of <strong>the</strong> Soviet‐North Korean treaty <strong>and</strong> <strong>Kim</strong> <strong>Il</strong> <strong>Sung</strong>’s letter regard<strong>in</strong>g this question are concerned, <strong>Kim</strong> Jangbong was told literally <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g: “We <strong>in</strong>deed have a treaty. Its essence is known both to you <strong>and</strong> to us. We would like to stress that it has a defensive character <strong>and</strong> is an <strong>in</strong>strument of defend<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> peace‐lov<strong>in</strong>g position of North Korea. S<strong>in</strong>ce Comrade <strong>Kim</strong> <strong>Il</strong> <strong>Sung</strong> did not put <strong>the</strong> circumstances <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> details of <strong>the</strong> current situation <strong>in</strong>to a concrete form, we consider it very important to conduct serious consultations with him on this question. The question of military actions is a very difficult one, especially under <strong>the</strong> current circumstances, when <strong>the</strong> entire world struggles aga<strong>in</strong>st war. It is impossible to talk about a military situation, much less about some k<strong>in</strong>d of military action, by means of short letters. This is a very serious question, <strong>and</strong> it dem<strong>and</strong>s serious consultations.” At <strong>the</strong> same time, an op<strong>in</strong>ion was expressed aga<strong>in</strong> that <strong>the</strong> question of <strong>the</strong> Pueblo crew, <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>in</strong>cident, should be settled by political means without much delay, o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong> DPRK could lose <strong>the</strong> serious political ga<strong>in</strong> obta<strong>in</strong>ed at <strong>the</strong> early stage of this <strong>in</strong>cident. There are reasons to th<strong>in</strong>k that <strong>the</strong> measures taken by <strong>the</strong> Politburo have born fruit. In any case, one could note <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g facts: 1. Soon after <strong>the</strong> conversation with <strong>Kim</strong> Jangbong, <strong>the</strong> DPRK Foreign M<strong>in</strong>istry published a statement that emphasized “<strong>the</strong> government of <strong>the</strong> DPRK, both now <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> past, has not changed its policy directed at <strong>the</strong> preservation of peace <strong>in</strong> Korea <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> peaceful solution of <strong>the</strong> question of <strong>the</strong> unification of Korea.” 2. The North Koreans <strong>in</strong>formed our ambassador regard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> progress of talks with <strong>the</strong> Americans. One should say that <strong>the</strong>se talks have taken on a fairly protracted character. The North Koreans are dem<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g official apologies from <strong>the</strong> U.S., <strong>the</strong> Americans are offer<strong>in</strong>g various compromises, but an agreement has not yet been reached. 3. The North Korean comrades made it known to <strong>the</strong> United States through neutral countries that <strong>the</strong>y are prepared to exchange <strong>the</strong> Pueblo crew for patriots arrested <strong>in</strong> South Korea, <strong>and</strong> that <strong>in</strong> this case, <strong>the</strong>y will not dem<strong>and</strong> apologies from <strong>the</strong> U.S. 4. On 1 March 1968, <strong>Kim</strong> <strong>Il</strong> <strong>Sung</strong> <strong>in</strong>vited <strong>the</strong> ambassador of <strong>the</strong> USSR [to Pyongyang <strong>and</strong> asked him to pass onto Moscow his gratitude for <strong>the</strong> conversation with <strong>Kim</strong> Jangbong <strong>and</strong> for <strong>the</strong> s<strong>in</strong>cere exposition of <strong>the</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion of <strong>the</strong> CC CPSU. At <strong>the</strong> same time, <strong>Kim</strong> <strong>Il</strong> <strong>Sung</strong> assured him that <strong>the</strong> evacuation activities conducted <strong>in</strong> Pyongyang were not out of any emergency, that measures have been taken to stop panicky rumors, <strong>and</strong> corrections are be<strong>in</strong>g made to <strong>the</strong> statements of <strong>the</strong> DPRK press. In conclusion, <strong>Kim</strong> <strong>Il</strong> <strong>Sung</strong> said: “we have no <strong>in</strong>tention of rais<strong>in</strong>g military hysteria.” Indeed, <strong>the</strong> tone of <strong>the</strong> North Korean press has recently become calmer. 5. There is also <strong>in</strong>formation that <strong>the</strong> local authorities <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> DPRK have been <strong>in</strong>structed not to overdo various k<strong>in</strong>ds of mobilization‐related activities: evacuation of people,
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