tionary movement will have suffered a great blow. We must therefore do everything we can to prevent this.

The Korean Workers Party has always advocated unity and solidarity among the socialist nations and the communist and worker's parties. We have urged this in the past, and we continue to urge it now. This is why all Marxist/Leninist parties and socialist countries must truly fulfill the Moscow Declaration. The socialist camp must be united and must act in a united fashion and exercise strong influence on the communist parties in the capitalist nations. It will not be possible to achieve this objective unless endeavors are consistent on all sides. We must consider the differences in views between the Parties to be an internal matter for the Parties.

West Germany is pursuing a policy of war against the GDR. Everyone must therefore protect the GDR. While West Germany is the warmonger in Europe, Japan is the warmonger in Asia.

Comrade Matern asked for an assessment of the situation in South Korea since the visits by Humphrey, Lübke, and Sato.

Comrade Yi Yong-ho said that Japan is a vassal state of the US. The Japanese government is pursuing the same imperialist policies as the US. The Japanese imperialists want to re-conquer Korea. Japanese capital has penetrated South Korea in 100,000 capitalist undertakings. They cloak this penetration with pretenses such as reparations to South. Korea, assistance in developing mineral resources, developing the land, etc. But the purpose of all of it is to conquer Korea and to make the old Japanese dream a reality. The Japanese government is in fact involved in the war against Vietnam by making airfields available, repairing war materials, etc. Japan sends technical assistance to South Vietnam. But Japanese monopolies have also gotten a foot in the door in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. They have invested more than $3.6 billion there. The situation is similar to that with West Germany. Therefore the united anti-imperialist front absolutely must be created. The Korean government understands very well the issues of unity for Germany.

In closing, Comrade Yi Yong-ho conveyed his best wishes for a very successful election. He expressed his sincere wishes for great success, both economically and politically.

Comrade Hermann Matern responded to Comrade Yi Yong-ho's statements. He said that Japan is playing a role in the US' global strategy that is similar to the role West Germany plays. There is one difference, however. While the two superpowers, the US and the Soviet Union, are head to head in Germany, this is not the case in Korea. So the situation is somewhat different. The US would run directly into the Soviet Union and the other Warsaw Pact nations in Germany. There would be a blitzkrieg there provoked by them. The "October Storm" exercise proved this clearly. So the military path is closed to the West German imperialists. We must push back the power of monopoly capital in West Germany. Although this is complicated to do, progress is slowly being made. The classes in West Germany are becoming increasingly polarized. Both the reactionaries and the progressive

democratic forces are growing in number. But reactionary forces are growing more rapidly. Therefore we must make great efforts to promote the growing process for the progressive forces.

The economy of the GDR has made great progress. The process of developing agriculture was a stormy one. There were a good number of people who worried about whether we could create socialist agriculture. Now it has been proved that socialism can be employed in agriculture, as well. We have good returns and are transitioning to industrial types of production and management in agriculture. The most important thing is that our Party acts with complete unity. We have solid development. There is no change in Party or state leadership. We have found a correct transition in attracting younger people, and last but not least, our Party has always had a clear, proper relationship to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, to the Soviet Union. We are quite intentionally aiming for an even closer melding of the GDR's economy with that of the Soviet Union. At the conference in Prague, which our Romanian comrades also attended, they stated that the Romanian workers movement was already further along in the last century than the Russian workers movement, and that the Romanian people had liberated themselves and the Hungarian people in 1944. It is hard to understand Romania's economic policy in some ways. They currently owe West Germany more than 1 billion marks. They built up 158 million marks of debt just in the first 4 months of 1967 alone. Now West Germany is to build major operations in Romania. But that is our Romanian comrades' business. We are not doing anything like that, anyway.

If we have debt in capitalist countries, we do not relinquish our positions by any means. Our policy toward West Germany has proved this clearly. The struggle against West German imperialism is very complicated. The main thing is the issue of who and whom, so you can't do something dumb and make mistakes, you have to proceed with great cleverness and deliberateness.

Comrade Yi Yong-ho responded that the Americans frequently do dumb things (he was referring to the raids on the South Korean border), so that now and then we have to give them a whipping so that they don't get even more fresh. He said it is no coincidence that provocative incidents on the border became more frequent after Johnson's visit in October 1966 and after Lübke's visit in early 1967. The Korean Workers Party paid close attention to this. The Korean People's Army is trained as cadre. The people are armed. The 7-year plan was extended by three years in order to improve defense readiness. We have 14 percent growth in industrial production annually in industry. Now our job is to build up the economy and at the same time improve defense readiness. More than 30 percent of the budget annually goes to military purposes. If our enemies attack us again, we fully intend to liberate South Korea. This is why the Korean People's Army is well armed, it has sufficient experience and well trained specialists. Both the People's Army and the populace are politically well prepared.

Comrade Yi Yong-ho then established that there will still

be an opportunity to discuss these issues in more detail. Our Korean comrades once again thanked us for meeting with them and took their leave.

***

DOCUMENT No. 5

Letter to Erich Honecker from Kim Il Sung, 7 July 1973

[Source: SAPMO-BA, DY 30, 2460. Translated for CWIHP by Grace Leonard.]

Department of

Berlin, 3 August 1973

International Affairs

80

46 copies, each 7 pages Copy 28, 7 pages Information

for the Politburo of the Central Committee

Subj.: Correspondence from Kim Il Sung, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers Party, to Comrade Erich Honecker, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party

[s]

Markowski

Distribution:

Copies 1-28: Politburo

Copies 29-46: Department of International Relations Berlin

To Comrade Erich Honecker

First Secretary of the Central Committee of the
Socialist Unity Party of Germany

Dear Comrade Erich Honecker!

Highly gratified that friendly and cooperative relations between the Parties, governments, and peoples of our two countries are developing well, I hereby convey our sincerest fraternal greetings to you, and through you to your Party and government and the people of the German Democratic Republic.

I would like to express to you, the Central Committee of your Party, and your government deep gratitude that your country is taking an active role internationally in supporting the great issue of unifying our people's fatherland and that it supports the letter to the parliaments and governments of all of the countries in the world that was adopted at the second meeting of the 5th legislative period of our nation's Supreme People's Assembly, and has undertaken measures of solidar

ity.

Permit me to take this opportunity to tell you, and through you to tell the Central Committee of your Party and your government, about the situation that has most recently arisen in our country and about our recently prepared Five Point Course for independent peaceful unification.

Today the division of Korea causes our people-a people that developed as one nation during a long history-great unhappiness and suffering day after day and also creates obstacles for achieving and maintaining peace in Asia and the world.

The US, which has compelled the territory to be divided and our nation to be cut in half for 28 years now, currently employs two-sided tactics and wants in this manner to let Koreans fight one another, to perpetuate the division of Korea, and to create two Koreas. In lockstep with these US machinations, the rulers in South Korea prattle on about a "confrontation" between South and North, employ every resource to increase South Korea's military might, and obstinately hold fast to intrigues for perpetuating the division of the country. Recently they went so far as to conspire to make two Korea's their policy and to announce this policy of division publicly.

Through all of this the dialogue between North and South has not developed as it should have, with no regard for our consistent efforts for independent peaceful unification, and the bright prospect that emerged for our people for unification of the fatherland when the Joint Communique between South and North was published a year ago has darkened again.

At a time in which there are unusual movements meant to bring about the permanent division of Korea, on 23 June of this year we again set forth the following policy line for independent peaceful unification, based on a sincere desire to overcome the difficulties that have occurred and to satisfy the national yearning for peaceful unification of the fatherland as soon as possible.

First, we have proposed eliminating the military confrontation between South and North and reducing tensions. Eliminating the military confrontation between North and South and reducing tensions are the most urgent and critical issues for dispelling misunderstanding and mistrust between North and South, for deepening mutual understanding and trust, for creating an atmosphere of great national coalition for improving relations between South and North, and for accomplishing peaceful unification of the country.

If the hidden knife is not discarded, it will not be possible to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and satisfactorily resolve the issue of cooperation and exchange between North and South. This is why we have repeatedly proposed to South Korean authorities that the build-up of military forces and arms be halted, all foreign troops be withdrawn, troops and arms be reduced, the importation of weapons from abroad be halted, and a peace treaty be signed as the first steps for achieving peaceful unification of the country.

Secondly, we have proposed that North and South cooperate and conduct exchanges in all areas of the various

arenas of politics, military affairs, foreign policy, the economy, and culture. We believe that accomplishing comprehensive cooperation and exchanges between North and South is very important to repair national bonds that have been torn asunder, to improve relations between South and North, and to bring about the conditions for unification.

Erich Honecker and Kim Il Sung 18 October 1986

Source: Bundesarchiv, Berlin

Once again, we stress that South Korean rulers must not rely on foreign forces, but must transition to developing the nation's natural resources with us and thus develop the economy in the best interest of our nation and make national cooperation in all areas a reality.

Third, we have proposed ensuring that the population, in all classes and walks of life of North and South, be able to participate in overall national patriotic work for unifying the fatherland.

Since, given the will of the entire population of South and North Korea, unification of the fatherland is an issue that must be resolved, we believe that the dialog between North and South must not be restricted to representatives of North and South, but must be conducted in an overall national framework.

We have therefore proposed calling a great national conference composed of representatives of the people from all classes and walks of life and all political parties and social organizations of the North and South, and discussing and resolving there the issue of unifying our nation according to the will and demands of our people.

Fourth, we have again proposed forming a confederation of South and North and calling it the Federative Republic of Koryo. We believe that forming a confederation between South and North, while maintaining the two systems currently existing in the North and South for a certain period based on the convocation of a great national confer

ence and achieving a great national coalition is the most logical way to accomplish the unification of the country.

If a confederation between South and North is formed using the name Koryo, we have proposed calling it the Federative Republic of Koryo, under which name our country will become known in the world as a single nation.

Fifth, we have proposed that North and South pursue foreign relations jointly in order to prevent the division from becoming cemented in place and thus dividing our nation into two Koreas for all time. As one nation, which developed as a single entity with one culture and one language over a long history, our nation must not be cut in two. We believe that North and South must have common stances in the area of international relations, as well, in order to prevent the country from being divided forever.

In terms of establishing diplomatic relations with other countries, we also decisively oppose all machinations for creating two Koreas. We strongly maintain that North and South cannot separately join the UN and believe that if joining the UN is a goal, at the minimum this must not occur until the confederation is formed under the name of the Federative Republic of Koryo, at which time the UN can be joined as one nation. But if, distinct from the issue of joining the UN, issues regarding Korea are included in the UN's agenda and are to be discussed, we believe that a representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea must take part and participate as an interested party.

We believe that all of our proposals reflect the urgent desire of all Korean people to prevent the division of the country, to fundamentally improve and develop relations between South and North, to accomplish in the most rapid manner possible the unification of our fatherland, and furthermore reflect current demands for independence and peace and are therefore extremely reasonable and realistic proposals that can be accepted by anyone.

It has now become completely clear who wants peace and unification in Korea and who is really planning for war and division.

I am convinced that your Party, your government, and your people are very interested in the situation that has developed in our nation, and that you will actively undertake various measures to support this new policy of the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for independent and peaceful unification of the country on a democratic basis, without outside intervention.

I am convinced that the close relations of friendship and cooperation that exist between the Parties, governments, and peoples of our two nations will continue to improve and develop, as in the past, so also in the future, based on the principles of Marxism/Leninism and proletarian internationalism, and send you my sincere wishes for great success in your professional endeavors and for good health for you personally.

With comradely greetings

At the invitation of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers Party and the Council of Ministers of the Demo

impressive reception by the people of Pyongyang for the GDR's Party and state delegation. During its stay, the delegation toured the Kimsong tractor plant and attended the opera, "The Flower Girl," in the Mansuda Palace.

Comrades Erich Honecker and Kim Il Sung spoke at a celebration of friendship, at which there were 20,000 participants and which took place in the Athletic Palace in Pyongyang.

During the official proceedings each side reported to the other about the realization of the resolutions of the IX Party Congress of the Socialist Unity Party and of the V Party Congress of the Korean Workers Party. There was a comprehensive exchange of views on the development of relations between the two Parties and nations, the international situation, and the Communist world movement. Willingness was expressed to expand in all respects the cooperation between the Socialist Unity Party and the Korean Workers Party, and between the GDR and the DPRK. Comrade Kim Il Sung repeatedly stressed the great importance of Comrade Erich Honecker's visit for deepening mutual understanding and bilateral relations.

The mass media of the DPRK reported in detail about the visit by the GDR's Party and state delegation. Press accounts of the toast by Comrade Erich Honecker at the reception by the Korean side did not report remarks on issues of European security and disarmament.

II.

In his remarks, Comrade Erich Honecker praised the DPRK's great achievements in building socialism and affirmed the GDR's support for proposals by the DPRK for resolving problems on the Korean peninsula.

Comrade Honecker reported in detail about the domestic and foreign policy of the GDR in realizing the resolutions of the IX Party Congress of the Socialist Unity Party. He stressed that the successes of the GDR in building a developed socialist society are the result of intense work and creative initiative on the part of the workers of the GDR under the

tion from the German Democratic Republic, led by Comrade Erich Honecker, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the State Council of the German Democratic Republic, made an official friendship visit to the DPRK from 8 to 11 December 1977.

L

The visit was the first meeting of the highest representa

bonds to and cooperation with the Soviet Union and fraternal Socialist nations are very important for stable and dynamic development in the GDR.

Preparations for the 60th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution have turned into the greatest competition in the GDR.

The Socialist Unity Party is devoting special attention to further improving social democracy, especially in terms of broad inclusion of citizens in leading the state. Political/

visit to the GDR in 1956. The meetings between Comrade Erich Honecker and Comrade Kim Il Sung, with both delegations present, were friendly.

The visit resulted in an agreement on a joint communique. A Consular Treaty and an Agreement on the Further Development of Economic and Scientific/Technical Cooperation were signed.

The Party and government of the DPRK organized an

Its centerpiece is disseminating and popularizing the works of Marx and Lenin, educating for socialist patriotism and proletarian internationalism.

The Socialist Unity Party strongly opposes the increasing ideological diversion and stepped-up agitation by FRG imperialism against the GDR. It completely rejects all appear

ances of anti-communism and anti-Sovietism.

Comrade Honecker outlined the mutual foreign policy

positions of the community of socialist states on issues of international development. He stressed that the solid alliance with the Soviet Union and the other fraternal nations is the foundation of our foreign policy. New friendship treaties entered into with the Soviet Union and other socialist nations are particularly important. They play an important role in consolidating the socialist world system as the greatest achievement of the international working class. He stressed the necessity of strengthening the Warsaw Pact in order to protect the peaceful building [of socialism] in our countries from NATO's aggressive intentions.

Relations between the GDR and the People's Republic of China are poor for reasons that are known. There are no Party relations. The XI Party Congress of the Communist Party of China characterized the Soviet Union as the number one enemy. Beijing is further improving its reactionary interplay with imperialism. Subversive activity with regard to the international Communist movement continues. Beijing criticizes NATO for not building up enough arms for a war against the Soviet Union. This is tantamount to a challenge to wage war against the GDR. The GDR completely rejects the policies of the Chinese leaders, which run counter to the interests of Socialist countries, the international workers movement, and the national liberation movement. At the same time, it advocates normal development of state relations with the People's Republic of China and, given proper conditions, resuming Party relations, as well. But this is not possible at the cost of compromising principle issues, such as the unbreakable bond to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and to the Soviet Union itself.

Comrade Honecker addressed in detail the situation in Europe, especially in the FRG, and the status of relations between the GDR and the FRG. He spoke about the NATO military forces directly arrayed against the GDR and relations between the FRG and South Korea.

In its policies towards developing nations, the GDR concentrates on supporting nations with a socialist orientation, such as Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Guinea-Bissau. It supports the efforts by many Asian states to create stable relations of peaceful coexistence on this continent, and thereby to ensure important conditions required for guaranteeing security in Asia. This includes ensuring peace on the Korean peninsula.

In his statements on the communist world movement, Comrade Honecker stressed that the Socialist Unity Party maintains good relations with the overwhelming majority of fraternal parties based on Marxism/Leninism and proletarian internationalism. He stressed the mutual responsibility of the communist parties and praised the Berlin Conference as a meaningful success by the Communist movement.

Comrade Kim Il Sung expressed his gratitude for the selfless aid and support of the GDR, especially during the War of Liberation of the Fatherland and during the period that followed. Even today the GDR is providing valuable support to the Korean people in the struggle to unify the country.

The Korean Workers Party considers unification of the

fatherland to be its primary mission. To achieve this goal, at its V Party Congress the Party resolved to build up socialism in the north, to support the struggle of revolutionary forces in South Korea, and to consolidate solidarity with international revolutionary forces. Building Socialism in the DPRK is the foundation for establishing the new social order in the entire nation.

It is worthwhile to demonstrate the superiority of the socialist order to the south and to show the entire world that the DPRK is a sovereign, independent state. In contrast, South Korea is a base for American imperialism. After the victory over the Japanese militarists, the socialist countries, the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, and the GDR as well provided great assistance to the Korean people. But this alone could not resolve every problem. So it was necessary to do everything in our power to become selfreliant. Since then an independent national economy has been created. Currently the ideological, technical, and cultural revolution are the focal points, which is in accord with the resolutions of the V Party Congress.

The DPRK stands directly before the enemy. Since there was no bourgeois revolution in Korea, the transition period to socialism and communism is relatively long. There is residual feudalism, Confucianism, Buddhism, sectarianism. Since Korea is surrounded by large countries, toadyism before the great foreign powers was very prevalent. The ideological revolution is no less important than creating the material foundations for socialism. The experience of the Korean Workers Party demonstrates that people very actively take part in the revolution, in smashing the old social order. The higher the material standard of living climbs, the more ideologically lazy people become and the more careless their activity is. All people must be transformed according to the model of the worker class.

The Korean Workers Party today has 2.2 million members. All of the other members of society are included in the various organizations. Organized Party life and learning occupy an important place in the ideological work. Nearly the entire population takes part in training that is conducted every Saturday. In addition, two hours of self-study are conducted daily.

The technical revolution is very important. The primary issues are reducing the differences between light and heavy physical labor, between industry and agriculture, and liberating women from heavy housework, actively drawing them into societal life.

Our cultural revolution is different from that in other countries. Its goal is to provide all people with knowledge. This is why the mandatory 11-year polytechnical school system was introduced. One million intellectuals have already been trained in the DPRK. The issue is repelling enemy attempts to infiltrate the cultural realm.

Turning to the economic situation, Comrade Kim Il Sung reported that a new 7-year plan begins in 1978. The objective of this plan is to develop modern industry, pervaded with science and based on the Juche principle. This does not mean rejecting economic cooperation with other countries.