TRANSLATIONS OF NORTH KOREAN NEWSPAPERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R002900100002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 67
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 31, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: October 2, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL I.N.TEL.LIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY . Korea
SUBJECT Translations of Nort~ Korean
.Newspapers
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 783 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person Is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 2 October 1953
NO. OF PAGES 1
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
STATE (?3 X ARMY J INAVY I AIR FBI AEC
(Not.: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribuiion By "#".)
LOCI -0t x OCD..? x
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Z cS T R 1 C T B
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MEASURES FOR RU=ELY IvG NK STATE, C0M"ERCE A-2,'.D COOPEz?ATIVE SOCIETIES
On 2 March, the Chosen Central News Agency, Pyongyang, (covered
in the 3 March 1953 edition of the Minchu Choson) reported the adoption
on 18 February by the North Korea;~$ Government of Cabinet Decision No. 28e
"Measures for Remedying State Commerce and Cooperative Societies.
According'to the report9 this decision advanced in detail the
methods through which the weaknesses in the State Commerce and Coopera-
tive' Societies would be reriedjede The organization and administration'
of-the State Commerce ane, Cooperative Societies. would undergo severe';. .?
teration. No longer will stress, be placed only on the distribution of
fonjtumer goods in the cities-, in the Gast, emphasis was placed on cities
in order to assure that the predetermined quantities would be distributed.
It is implied here that rural areas in the past had been neglected Cue,
perhaps, to inaccessbility and to the-fact that city populations are
greater. -Edo
HESTRICTE:D
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Also to be eliminated is the delay in the flow of goods. Supply
2
of labor with consumer items is to be stabilised, the quality of goods
is to be improved, and a variety of;essential consumer goods will be made
available to the people. A system of control' of weights and measures will
be instituted. And all workers employed in these cooperatives will under
go political and practf.eal.training courses.
Of tie ;yew measures included in Cabinet Decision No. 28, one
change is particularly noted" the areas in which the State Commerce and
Cooperative Societies operate are to be divided.
The State Commerce and Cooperative Societies, formerly, had their
respective stores in'both the cities and villages. Under the new plan,
however, State Commerce will supply cities and Kues (labor'. Districts) with
consumer goods. Stores-and restaurants in the villages are to-be trans-
ferred to the control 'of the Cooperative Societies which will supply sow
aumer goods in the rural districts. Stores In the cities, and KuQ s which
were formerly ue,der ure coi trol of the Cooperative Societies, will be
transferred to State Commerce (under the Ministr7 of Commerce). Further,
State Commerce will supply the city outskirts, and the Cooperative Socie-
ties will enlarge the stores in the mountains and setup mobile store units.
The factories of the Cooperative, c cieties will. be placed under
the control of the Provinces in which they are located. Wholesale offices
will be set up in the major cities, including Pyongyang, in order to
:facilitate the purchase and distribution of consumer goods,
2
labor is supplied with suits, shoes and other necessities,
R i S T R I C T E D
Security Inforzr Lion
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RB S TR I C T; D
Security Ynformation
These new measures were enacted In order to equalize _the dis-
tribution of goods, to strengthen the economic ties between city and
village, and to extend cooperative facilities into the mountainous areas.
Although there Is no evidence in writing,, it, is beli"eyed that
Cabinet Decision No, 28 has already been put ttto effect,
R E S T R I C T E D
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STAT
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R. E S TRIG T h D
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IN THi, ANTI-SECkB AGI,.NT CAMPAIGN
The People?s Self-Defense Corps has been assigned the major
responsibility for carrying out the Anti-Secret Agent Campaign in
North Korea. According to an article in the 5 February 1953 issue
of the Minchu Choson (Democratic People's Newspaper) by PANG Hak-?e,
NK 1 inister of Home Affa.irs,'?? we must, protect our native places
from the secret agents? invasion by strengthening the tasks of the
People?s_5elf-Defense Corps. Virtually all of the enemy agents are
being detected in districts where, the 'eopie?s Self=Defense Corps
is doing its best," P4NG is a Soviet Russian citizen.
From 1 January 1953'to ea:a..rly April, 1953, the North Korean.
press, including the }linchu Choson, the No Dom Sk Nun (Labor Press),
and the Kae on PressF, reported 46 cases of arrested secret agents,
not counting those arrested near the battle-line by the NK People?s
RESTRICTSD
Security Infoniation
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Army and, the Chinese Communist Forces, These included:`
28 arrested,by the People?s Self--Defense Corps
12 it " civilian inhabitants
3 local officials
2 police
1 " it the NK People?s Army
The "Civilian inhabitants" who.made 12 arrests were work-
ing in conjunction with the ?eople?s Self-Defense Corps. This em-
phasizes the important role of the Self-Defense Corps in the.Mnti-
Secret Agent Campaign,
The purpose of the Self-Defense Corps has not always been
to carry out the Anti-Secret Ag..nt Campaign. When the Corps was
organized in 1948-49,,the NK Communists gave as its purpose "the
protecting of rural communities and rural government.offices from
reactionary invasion."Gradually,,the Corps members began to re-
ceive military training with.wooden guns, thus providing the NK
government with a large reserve of young military-manpower for a
two-fold purpose: for the future attack on South Korea, and for
quelling. civil disturbances by the WK populace.
At first, both of these purposes were carried out success-
fully by the Self-Defense Corps, But as the war continued beyond
the expectations of the UK leaders, new tasks had to be assigned
to the Corps in order to keep it occupied. These new assignments
were the Anti-Secret :-.gent Campaign.
Today Corps members are equipped with real instead of
,wooden guns, and the Corps has become a police force with the
regular NK national police acting as, officers for the Self-Defense
a 1;S Tti,IC'1 1 D
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Corps. In rural areas, the chief of the local Self-Defense Corps
I
has become As.importr,.nt and influential as the commissioner of the
local Labor Party branch, As a . rulethe branch commissioner also
is chief of the local Self-Defense Corps unit. Even if he does not
hold this additional post, however, he.cun usually control the Corps
chief because-the chief must belong.to,the local Labor Party branch.
Some Self-Defense Corps units have ' the' Labor Party branch committee
as their own staff committee and are commanded 'by it. Labor Party
members in the village watch the Corps members. and guide them,
either directly or indirectly.
All young men and women and youths in. the rural villages.
are conscripted into the,Self-Defense Corps. They arc not all
equally enthusiastic and devoted to Communism, however. The fact
that PANG has found it necessary to strengthen the Peoples Self-
Defense Corps indicates that a,large proportion of the members are
not loyal to their duties and that the Corps is not a6'.-'"successful .
as PANG would like it to be in arresting secret agents.
Coincident with the NK goverrment's reorganization of the
administrative divisions of North Korea on-22 December 1952 was,an
attempted reorganization and'rejuvenation of the Self-Defense Corps.
Recently North Korean newspapers reported that the Corps is benj
reorganized at the Ri level:, Under the RI headquarters, branch
units of. the Corps are being formed in every small village. As for
staffing the Corps,, reliable Labor Party members are-being assigned
to the posts of chief, deputy-chief, and other positions at the
Hi and branch levels of the Corps,
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I
Security
niorm-tion
According; to a story in the Niinchu Choson'of 3 April 19538
". ..o Hundreds of farmers whose families have been massacred and
thousands of farmers whose.property has been severely damaged by
bombing are now forming Peoples Self-Defense Corps units (in ham
Nam province)." The,NK Communists are endeavoring,to exploit fully
the hostility of those?NK families whose homes have been damaged or
families killed by'U.N. planes?, It is questionable whether these
hostilities, are really being turned against South Korea and. the U.N.
however. Many NK civilians undoubtedly curse the NK government for
continuing the war.
The Communist leaders thus find it difficult to raise the
"political consciousness" of the People's Self.-Defense Corps to a
level which will make its members participate vigorously in the
Anti-Secret Agent Campaign. 'Like other NK agencies and organiza-
tions, the Self-Defense Corps.has'two parts: one composed of the
leaders, who are mostly Labor Party members, and the other consist-
ing of the ordinary members who are. passive and inactive.
The weakest point in the Anti-Secret Agent Campaign is the
routine manner in which Self-Defense Corps members are carrying out
their duties.. ILK: Communist leaders have frequently pointed out that
Corps guards stand their watches mechanically, inspecting the vil-
lages without intending to arrest secret Agents. The NK leaders
demand'that the deadly routine of the Corps -- standing-guard, in-
spections, etc. -- must be altered...
According to North Korean newspapers, many Corps members
have become specialists at arresting secret agents. After arresting
K i, S T R 1 C T r; D
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scores of secret agents, they have been decorated and given enormous
prizes by the NK 'government."NK newspapers also report that secret
agents have as their aim the murder of major NK public o.fficirls.
IvK newspapers do not st to whether or not any Sclf--Defense Corps
leaders have been killed, however. When the newspapers announce the
names of persons who have rendered great service to th:: Anti-Secret
Agent Campaign, they usually do not give their home addresses, in
order to prevent their being allegedly killed by secret agents.
The following persons were named in NK newspapers between
1 January 1953 and early April, 1953, as. having rendered great serv-
ice to the Anti-Secr t Agent Campaigns (The address is given in
accordance with the name of the newly-org_mni,?ed NM administrative
divisions, except that in most cases the name of the Rai has been
omitted.):
. on An Nim llo 2r2vince
Chung San County
(1) PAK Iiyol, chief of the People?s Self-Defense Corps,
He made 12 secret agents give
themselves up to the police in a short time. It
is said he is a model of a Self-Defense Corps
chief. His picture also was published,
Minchu Choson, 22 Feb 53
II. 8yonk An Fuk'Do Province
Pak Chon county -
(2) PAK Il-yong, chief of the Self-Defense Corps.
He arrested RI li-gong and twn other
socrct agents who belonged to F.E.C.L.D. a24Oth
unit, and was rewarded with arms,, wireless equip-
ment, and 500,000 won.
Minchu Choson, 12 Mar 53
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Chol San county
(3) KIM Chong-su, chief of the Self-Dafense Corps,
In the mountains he arrested 9 secret
agents0 Minchu Choson, 30 Jain 53
Son Chon county-
(4) I~AK Chi-wha, (female)
She detected a suspicious young ma.n
and informed the 'olice who arrested him as a
secret agent. Ninchu Choson, 30 Jan 53
(5) CHA -)..ng kan, (female), 'a farmer-whose family is
in the Peo ple ? s Array.
Two strangers came and asked for, food.
She informed the police who arrested them as
secret agents. She received 500,000 won reward
from the sinister of Home Affairs,
Minchu Choson, 31 Mar 53
I110 hang Hae Jo.grovince
Ong.Chin county, Chong bean ri
(6) RI Song-shun, commissioner of Hi branch, Labor
Party.
He followed a suspicious officer of
the reopie?s Army and arrested him; was identi=
fled as a, secret agent.
Minchu Choson, 29 Jan 53
Un Pa county, Ro San .k1 (7) KIM Changmtu, chief of the Self-Defense Corps,
Arrested a secret agent disguised as
a rice dealer. The agent?s name was PYON Dok-
cho, age 23, permanent address: Pong San county;
present address: west division, Pyongyang. The
agent had crawled. into V=hang ti?1.e Do province on
14 September 1952. KIM was given the rice and
clothes of the agent and 30,000 won as reward0
Minchu Choson, 19 Feb 53
Hae Chu county, Chong Pyung,ri
(8). KIM Pyong-chin, member of Self-Defense Corps,
He saw 5 strangers inside an empty.
house and informed police. They were identi-
fied as secret agents.
Ka'Press 12 Jan:53
Rl.S Till C TLD
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Sin Chon-county
(9) AN Pong-.son, member of Self-Defense Corps,
Arrested three secret agents dis-
guised as middle-school boys. Received 10,-
000 won as prize from Home Affairs Minister,
M chu Cho son, 31 Mar 53
I'yong San county
(10) YUN Sun?hyon, chief of People's Self-Defense Corps,
His Self-Defense Corps unit arrested
or killed 166 secret agents and took 27 rifles and
2 submachine guns from them, Received National
Flag decoration, 2nd clase.
Minchu Choson, 31 Mar 53
IV. Kant Won Do province
Hoe Yang county . m
(11) KIM Yong-rnyon, chief of Self-Defense Corps,
Arrested 48 secret agents or anti-
communists, Took 4 pistols, 2 submachine guns9
'2 rifles, and 4 carbines,
Minchuu Choson, 7 Feb 53
An unnamed Hi on the coastline of Kang Won Do province
(12) TAK In-ho, member of Self-Defense Corps;
Arrested 3 secret agents, took 1 light
machine gun, I pistol, 12 grenades..
1"inchu Choon, 11 Feb 53
V. Ham Kyong biam 'o wince
.FUk Chong county
(13) KIN Un-ok, member of Self-Defense Corps.
Arrested 8 secret agents,
Minchu Choson, 2 April 53.
Tan Chon county -
(14) 30 kcum-sun, (female), member of Self-Defense Corps.
Arrested about 10 secret agents.
Minchu Choson, 15 Feb 53
He San county
(15) KIM Sbng-nar,;' .(female)
She informed the police on a man who
came to her at midnight. Identified as secret agent.
Minchu Choson, 15 Feb 53
H;a TRTC TED .
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(unnamed county)
(16) CHONG Yun-mog chief of Sp1f-Defense Corps,
He killed two secrc t agents who landed
on the coast at 1,aom0 on 3 March 1953
'Mi Choson, 3 April 53
(17) HAN Hi-kyu, member of Self-Defense Corps,
(18) HATS Ke-won, member. of Self-Defense Corps,
They arrested 12 secret agents of the 8240th
Searching Unit of the UQS,, Eighth Army who landed
by parachute.
Minchu Choson, 3 April 53
KIM Changmmun, chief of the Self-Defense Corps,
He arrested 2 secret agents Ao crawled
into North Korea. on night of 18 March 53 after
three months ? training at .'ongdo in Pusan,
inchu Choosor, 3 April. 53
(19)
NI,, Kaesong district,
county, Pyong Wha ri, Pal San Dong A ,
(20) PAK Che-chun, member of the Self-Defense Corps,
Arrested armed secret agents and anti-
communists, Kaaesong Press, 11 Feb, 30 Mar 53
county, Hung Kyo ri
(21) PAK Il-son (ferr,ale), member of Self-Defense Corps,
Informed police and arrested a young
secret agent. Kaesor Press, 11 Feb 53
.`Kae lung county, Kwang Tok rayon, Sa Pun ri
(according to the-former 11K administrative division)
-(22) KIM Kwan-ho, deputy chief of Self-Defense Corps,
He informed-the branch police against
5 secret agents. disguised as People?s,itrmy soldii 5_t '.~~. 9,,u::?n~ .: or TI
s't.i. y'. i') w s -._
e ,'rw ex.'en o- r;^.;
to U: Ie Cd.._'~'.3n?s?.,.`'i i)`? G`?.4 i't?*..:'....'? w: ;.~:f'. ... ?: 4;Lir, ?'C1~T'` "'.
e cy",'1-4 not 'fie ver`T SC- cu.i-,
ti?;)F?f rt;Ln7x iisab .e I "r