ΤΗ Ε GREAT

PROGRAMME
FOR NATIONAL
UNION
In Memory of the North-South Joint
Conference and Mr. Kim Gu
Kim Jong Hang & An U Saeng

Foreign Languages Publishing House

Pyongyang, Korea
1 986
 People usually cherish their memories of the old days.
This is all the more so for those in the twilight of their
lives. They look back fondly, with deep emotion, on the
course they have travelled rather than looking forward to After the August 15 liberation, the respected leader
the short time which still remains to them. General Kim II Sung, the^peerless patriot and sun of the
Reminiscences of the past may be sweet ones, inspiring nation, clearly defined the course our nation should follow.
pride and self-respect, or painful ones, entailing regret and Addressing the military and political cadres on August
self-reproach. . ~
20,1945, the wise General gave a detailed explanation of
Looking back over the past we have one proud and
the far-reaching plan he had elaborated during the 20-year
worthy memory, and that is of the days when the historic long. anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and of the
April north-south joint conference 'Λ took place.
conditions prevailing in the country after liberation, and
As regards the two of us, we may be considered
specified the character of our revolution as an anti-
historical witnesses who had different social and political
imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution.
positions and backgrounds and followed different courses
He said:
before we Were involved in and attended the conference.
"With the accomplishment of the historic cause
At the time I (Kim Jong Hang), secretary of the wise
of national liberation weare now faced with a fresh
General Kim II Sung, played a direct part in the work of the
struggle. On the basis of our triumphant success
joint conference, and during Mr. Kim Gu's stay in
we must continue to advance the Korean revol-
Pyongyang, served as his secretary.
ution and build a rich, powerful, independent and
I (An U Saeng) wasa close associate of Mr. Kim Gu and
sovereign state through pur own efforts."
his partner through good times and bad in China from the
The wise General's great programme for nation-building
time of the "Provisional Government."*2 After the
aimed at building a prosperous and developing indepen-
country's liberation on August 15, 1945, I served as his
dent state in the homeland was further amplified io the
secretary for foreign affairs and took part in the joint
Twenty-Point Platform published . in March 1946.
conference.
However, the farseeing nation-building programmercaflW
To look back in retrospect the historic days when the up against a great obstacle due to the actions of the US
wise General conceived a plan for, proposed arid brought
imperialists, who were then occupying south Korea, to
about the north-south joint conference is not merely a
partition our nation.
sentimental remembrance of the past; it is to understand With a keen insight into the trend of the situation fraught
their deep meaning in the context of the present. This is with a new crisis of national division in spite of liberation,
because it is only when we correctly understand the
the General formed a united front of people from all walks
historical importance of great national union and the focal
of life in the north and, at the same time, conceived arid
point of this union, even now, that we can accomplish the
furthered a plan to rally all the patriotic forces on a
supreme national task which faces us smoothly. At the
nationwide sdale so as to overcome the danger of national
same time, its significance lies in the fact that it will enable
division and build a united and prosperous independent
us to obtain a correct idea of the momentous transfor-
state.
mation in the life of Mr. Kim Gu.
When the illustrious General Kim II Sung planned and
 proposed the north-south joint conference, the crisis of
division was at a very dangerous stage.
Having established a military government in south
Korea, the United States was pressing ahead with its
preparations to set upa separate government by combining
pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation.
The meeting of the "Soviet-US Joint Commission"
which was resumed at Toksu Palace, Seoul, after an
interval of a year, was again brought to deadlock because
of the unfair claims of the US side which did not accord
with the original aim of the meeting. Deliberately putting
obstacles in the way of establishing a unified Korean
government which had been agreed upon in the decision
of the three ministers' conference in Moscow and seeking
to set up a separate government in south Korea, the US
imperialists fermented an anti-communist atmosphere by
taking advantage of the anti-trusteeship campaign*3 and
torpedoed the work of the "Soviet-US Joint Commission,"
and then illegally brought the Korean question to the
United Nations. Syngman Rhee, who had already begun to
state on June 3, 1946 that "the establishment of a sepa-
rate government cannot be avoided", openly played the
role of standard-bearer in the campaign for "separate
elections and a separate government" at the instigation
of the US imperialists. The situation was becoming
grave.
In those days when it was indispensable for the patriotic
forces to unite against the plot for "separate elections and a
separate government," the different political forces in
south Korea were divided into the left, right and centre
groups and so did not keep in step with each other. This
was extremely regrettable. In the "Korean Independence
Party" headed by Mr Kim Gu and to which I (An U Saeng)
also belonged, opinions were divided and the dissidents
deeded, forming the "New Korea Nationalist Party" and
the "Democratic Korea Independence Party." Efforts to
bring about an alliance of the patriotic forces failed every
time. Owing to the intrigues of the US imperialists, the
situation came to such a pass that on July 19,1947 Mr.
Ryo Un Hyong, who had been trying to bring about left-
4
right cooperation, was assassinated on the street ici broad
daylight. '
Watching the turbulent situation, Mr. Kim Gu passed
unhappy days with mixed feelings. After he returned home,
his "Provisional Government" was brushed aside by the
US military government. So he became the vice-chairman
of the "Central Council for the Promotion of Independe-
nce" formed by Syngman Rhee after his return home,
and, as such, spearheaded the anti-trusteeship campaign.
But this only tended to produce the absurd results
of helping the US moves to split our nation and the es-
tablishment of Syngman Rhee's foothold. No matter
how much he might deplore this, Mr. Kim Gu was unable to
improve the situation which was moving towards division.
He resented the behaviour of Lieutenant General Hodge,
commander of the US army occupying south Korea, and
Syngman Rhee, calling them "unpardonable fellows." But
in fact, he was not in a position to stand against them
successfully. Compromise was out of the question.
Nevertheless, it was beyond his ability to rally enough
forces to challenge them.
Asa matter of fact, in those days there was nofbcal point,
no central figure endowed with the authority of leader
capable of rallying the patriotic forces in south Korea.
The excitement of national liberation had evaporated
and now, in the face of the grave situation in which the
crisis of territorial partition and national division was
rapidly looming large, all the people were overcome with
intense concern for the destiny of the country and the
future of the people.
The prevailing situation urgently demanded the unity of
the internal patriotic forces of the7 nation to frustrate the US
imperialists' scheme for "separate elections and a separate
government" and build a united independent state
throughout the whole country.
The wise General Kim II Sung showed a sure way to
break the deadlock. In the light of the situation in which the
United States had disrupted the work of the "Soviet-US
Joint Commission" for establishing a united democratic
provisional government in Korea and illegally brought the
 remarks made by the General on January 8 that year.
Korean question to the United Nations in September 1947,
He said that in order to form a nationwide uniteq front, it
the General suggested at the meeting of co-chairmen of
was necessary to cooperate open-mindedly with the
the Central Committee of the Democratic National United
rightwing nationalist forces in south Korea, and in par-
Front of North Korea on October 3,1947 that representa- -
ticular Mr. Kim Gu, who were not servile to US imperialism.
fives of the political parties and public organizations of
He judged Mr. Kim Gu to be a nationalist with a patriotic
north and south Korea, should meetto hold consultations in
conscience who had a strong anti-Japanese feeling,
order to foil the US imperialists' plan to split our nation and
disliked the United States at present and was concerned
establish a united democratic government by the com-
about the future of the country, even though he had
bined efforts of the patriotic forces in north and south
adopted an anti-communist attitude before. With this the
Korea.
General referred to the need to push forward the work with
Thanks to the energetic activities of the wise General,
Mr. Kim Gu and other political figures in south Korea with
preparations started for the north-south joint conference
whom contact had already been made for cooperation.
which was intended to relieve the national distress. Some
Then, on January 13 he gave instructions that letters
people were dispatched to make contact with various
should be sent to Messrs. Kim Gu and Kim Gyu Sik and
parties and groups in south Korea, and others from south
various political parties and public organizations in south
Korea came to visit the north. In those days travel between
Korea which contained a proposal for convening a nation-
the north and the south was difficult because of the 38th
wide meeting to discuss the building of a united and
parallel*1*, but still private barter trade was connived at and
completely independent and sovereign state. Mr. Song Si
the movement of people between the two zones was also
Baek was amongst those who were given the task of
possible. So, many people crossed the 38th parallel.
conveying the letters.
In the early winter of 1947 I (Kim Jong Hang) con-
The General, who had always attached great importance
ducted Mr. Song Si Baekfrom south Korea to the General.
to the united front of the anti-Japanese patriotic forces
A man with strong patriotic sentiment, he crossed the 38th
during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, success-
parallel from an ardent desire to learn at first hand about the
fully led the work of rallying the patriotic forces for
General's programme for saving the country.
reunification after liberation by drawing on his rich
At the interview given to Mr. Song Si Baek that day, the
experience.
General stressed the necessity of cooperation between the
I (An U Saeng) was in south Korea at that time. There I
communists and the nationalists to overcome the national
again met Mr. Song Si Baek who was a n old friend from the
distress of the growing danger of division. Learning that he
time when I was staying in Chongqing, China.
had contacts among members of the "Provisional
Accompanied by my younger brother (An Ji Saeng), he
Government" even before August 15, the General ex-
came to see me at my home in Namchangdong and stayed
pressed a hope that he would tell Messrs. Kim'Guxand Kim
with me about a fortnight, exchanging views on the
Gyu Sikand other rightwing nationalists of the need-to ally
changing disturbed situation. Our opinions coincided
themselves and cooperate with the communists and
easily, probably because of our common concern for the
thereby induce them to take part in bringing about the
nation. We at last reached the same conclusion about the
north-south joint conference.
way out of the national impasse. It lay through getting all
At the beginning of 1948, the wise General worked even
foreign troops withdrawn and joining hands and cooperat-
harder to carry the idea of the north-south joint conference
ing with the communists in the north to check and frustrate
into reality.
the plot for "separate elections and a separate govern-
Even now I (Kim Jong Hang), vividly remember the
 ment." We were agreed that we would act positively. All
things considered, we decided that Mr. Song Si Baek
would contact Mr. Hong Myong Hui and I, Cho Wan Gu. It
was also decided to consult Sin Gi On, who was a dose
associate of Mr. Kim Gyu Sik, to ensure that no objection
came from members of his entourage.
I made bold to explain the inevitability of alliance and
cooperation with the communists to Mr. Cho Wan Gu who
was Mr. Kim Gu's chief secretary. At first, he was very
sceptical about the feasibility of cooperation with the
communists, although he admitted that without this, there
could be no other political way out under the prevailing
circumstances. He was nonetheless inclined towards alli-
ance and cooperation with the communists. True, the
nationalists from the "Provisional Government" were un-
conditionally opposed to communism, but they could not
prostitute their honour which they had guarded for a long
time as exiles devoted to the anti-Japanese struggle for
independence and degrade themselves to the acceptance
of a "separate government." Forall this, they could not stay
aloof from the situation, closing their eyes to the crisis of
national division. This explained his attitude. Or more than
this, it appeared, his hidebound anti-communist ideas
melted away before the fact that the road of national
salvation lay in alliance and cooperation with the commu-
nists. Hence his inclination.
In the course of my contact with Mr. Cho Wan Gu I
learned that the letter from the north had already reached
Mr. Kim Gu. When the contents of the reply to the north
was discussed by Mr. Kim Gu and the leading officials of
the "Korean Independence Party," Mr. Cho Wan Gu urged
on them with well-knit logic that it was imperative to
cooperate with the communists. The letter from the north
which expressed the firm stand of placing the interests of
the nation before anything else could not but call forth a
response in the heart of Mr. Kim Gu. And so he came to
agree to the idea of cooperation with the communists. But
he advanced his own proposal as an alternative, which was
to hold talks between the leaders from the north and the
south.
8
These were the circumstances and background of Mr.
Kim Gu's statement on January 26,1948 and Mrjjfcim Gyu
Sik's the next day and their reply of February 16, the gist of
which was the withdrawal of Soviet and US troops,
opposition to "separate elections and a separate govern-
ment" and talks between leaders from the north and the
south.
It was not until later that I realized all this was a process
of upholding the lofty idea of the wise leader General
Kim U Sung. Whilst staying in my house, Mr. Song Si
Baek drove home to me the urgency of cooperation with
the communists and induced me to do my bit to bring this
about. When I (earned that he had been working to put the
General's programme of national salvation into practice, I
was both surprised and moved.
The wise General received the reply of Messrs. Kim Gu
and Kim Gyu Sik dated February 16. Then, in order to deal
with the situation in which the United States passed a
resolution on holding separate elections in south Korea by
using the voting machine of the "UN Little Assembly" at
the end of February, he again called all the Korean people
to the nationwide patriotic struggle against elections
aimed at establishing a separate government in south
Korea and for the building of a united democratic in-
dependent state at the 25th meeting of the Central
Committee of the Democratic National United Front of
North Korea held on March 9. Meanwhile, he told me (Kim
Jong Hang) to send a reply to Messrs. Kim Gu and Kim-Gyu
Sib
The reply of March 15 expressed approval of their
opposition to the "separate elections and a separate
government" and set out measures to make an advance in
bringing about the north-south joint conference.
The moment was approaching when all the patriotic
forces of the north and the south would meet together in
one place and discuss a way out of the impasse.
In this connection, Mr. Kim Gu wanted to confirm one
thing before he made a final decision. This was that,
although he keenly felt the need of joining hands with the
communists on the basis of the love for the country and the
people, the common denominator, in the actual situation
when the danger of national division was imminent, he
found it hard to bridge the gap caused by the ideological
difference between the two parties. Since I have always
hated the communists in the past, he thought, with
misgivings, they will also spurn me. And his fears were not
groundless.
Around the "Provisional Government" put up by polit-
ical emigres who had been deprived of their country by the
Japanese imperialists and taken refuge abroad were many
different political forces who followed different isms and
doctrines and indulged in sectarian strife, attacking and
slandering one another every day and even perpetrated
tragic acts of bloodshed. Mr. KimGu himself had been shot
by Kim Un Han, a youth belonging to the "New Korea
Independence Party" who had been urged on by the
Japanese spy Pak Chang Se and was blinded with
sectarian feud, and the bullet was still in his body. On the
other hand, it was a fact that he had been a terror to people
of other parties and groups and even to the "communists"
from the time when he had headed the Police Bureau of the
"Provisional Government."
He had regarded the communists as people who only
cried for the "motherland of ideology" taking no account
of their own nation and despised and shunned the
nationalists indiscriminately. So he used to treat the
communists as sworn enemies, and the nationalists in
Northeast China who had a good understanding with the
"Provisional Government" would ruthlessly kill those
young people who were coming to the Korean People's
Revolutionary Army as communists. After liberation a
terrorist group named after Mr. Kim Gu was caught while
operating secretly in north Korea.
To me (An U Saeng) his feeUngs were quite under-
standable when he hesitated to start on a journey to the
north, remembering all these things from the past
General Kim II Sung's consent was needed by Mr. Kim
Gu. So, my great unple An Gyong Gun and Kwon Tae
Yang, the liaison man of Mr. Kim Gyu Sik, were chosen to
go on-this errand to Pyongyang in strict secrecy.
10
While seeing An Gyong Gun off, I recalled an event
which had taken place a few years previous^. It was
towards the endof 1944, when the defeat of the Japanese
imperialists was becoming obvious to all. So Mr. Kim Gu
felt very impatient. He wanted to participate in the final
decisive battle for national liberation so as to return home
with glory, but the "Provisional Government" was too
weak. The terrorist tactics employed so far against in-
dividuals were far from applicable in the great war of
national liberation. The plan of founding a Liberation Army
worked out in 1942 would go into effect in 1945, and the
army with its composition of scores of men was only a
symbolic one. Therefore, it was possible that they might
greet liberation without firing a single shot.
In this situation, Mr. Kim Gu discussed the matter
carefully with a few members of his entourage and decided
to send a man to General Kim II Sung as an envoy.
The Korean People's Revolutionary Army had been
fighting grim and bloody battles against the one-million-
strong Kwantung army and puppet Manchukuo army and
the Japanese and Manchukuo police all over the
Manchurian plains and the Paekdu Mountains. The bril-
liant military achievements of the revolutionary army were
widely known amongst the Koreans at home and abroad as
legends and even the government-patronized publications
could not conceal the high authority of the revolutionary
army which had solid foundations among the broad
masses.
Mr. Kim Gu thought that an alliance should be formed in
whatever form with the Korean People's Revolutionary
Army led by the legendary hero General Kim II Sung. This
thought enabled him to transcend his confirmed anti-
communist ideas. In consideration of the atmosphere
surrounding us at the time, the dispatch of the emissary
was kept a secret, known only to a few including Mr. Kim
Gu, Cho Wan Gu and me (An U Saeng). Li Chung Mo who
left with Mr. Kim Gu's letter of credence went as far as
Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, but was delayed there trying to
find a route to Northeast China. As a result the August 15
liberation took place while he was on his way. The mission
11
left unfulfilled by Li Chung Mo fell, so to speak, on the
shoulders of An Gyong Gun in a new historical context a
few years later. It seemed to me, who knew all these
circumstances, that this was a strange turn of fate for Mr.
Kim Gu. My heart was filled with deep emotion.
General Kim II Sung met An Gyong Gun and Kwon Tae
Yang. Hearing of Mr. Kim Gu's misgivings about how he
thought of the things of the past, he said magnanimously
that he let bygones be bygones.
The General told them that it would be a stubborn
attitude detrimental to the great cause to call the past into
question at the moment when the difficulties confronting
the liberated homeland had to be fought. He made it clear
that it was a tradition maintained from the time of the anti-
Japanese revolution to observe the principle of not holding
the past against anyone. The liaison officials said Mr. Kim
Gu would be delighted and went back with light feet.
At last, on March 25, the 26th meeting of the Central
Committee of the Democratic National United Front of
North Korea adopted an open letter about holding the
north-south joint conference in Pyongyang from April 14,
and an invitation was extended to many political parties,
public organizations and individuals in south Korea.
On April 8 the liaison officials came once again and
conveyed the suggestion of Messrs. Kim Gu and Kim Gyu
Sik to postpone the conference for 4-5 days in view of the
obstructive outcry. The General readily accepted their
suggestion and took steps to open the joint conference on
April 19. -
Messrs. Kim Gu and Kim Gyu Sik had no cause to
hesitateany longer. They madeuptheir minds to attend the
joint conference and announced this fact. At about this
time, many middle-of-the-road and rightwing political
parties and public organizations also decided to take part in
the conference and issued statements to this effect in quick
succession. The feelings of the south Korean people
inclined towards Pyongyang where the joint conference
would be held and delegates rapidly set out for the north.
When Mr. KimGuwasabout to leave for north Korea, the
US imperialists and Syngman Rhee clique made every
1.2
effort to obstruct him. On April 6, Lieutenant General
Hodge, commander of the US army force occupying south
Korea, threatened to label participants in the jotfttconfe-
renceas communists or pro-communist elements. The
traitor Syngman Rhee visited the Kyonggyo Villa several
times to dissuade Mr. Kim Gu. The opponents of the
entente said that Mr. Kim Gu would be detained in
Pyongyang if he went there, and men from the "Korea
Democracy Party" tried to influence his son Kim Sin by
taking him to various restaurants.
The riffraff, including rightwing reactionary students,
besieged the Kyonggyo Villa for several days until the
departure of Mr. Kim Gu and even staged demonstrations
against his journey to the north.
Mr. Kim Gu scolded them, saying:
"Once I have made up my mind to go, nobody can
dissuade me. Even if you try to haul me, Kim Gu, with a
pack of as many as 100 bulls, my mind will not stir at all."
Mr. Kim Gu could not be prevented from attending the
all-nation meeting for national reunification. At the age of
72, he embarked on the great patriotic road of alliance with
communism.
Amid the great expectation of the whole nation the
historic north-south joint conference wasfinally opened at
the Moranbong Theatre in Pyongyang on April 19,1948.
The conference was attended by 695 representatives of
56 political parties and public organizations in north and
south Korea. As the newspapers hailed it as "A Gigantic
Step Forward of the Nation in Opposition to All Shades of
Runkeyism and the Idea of Reliance on Outside Forces,"
the joint conference was an all-nation meeting represent-
ing all the patriotic forces of the north and the south except
for the handful of quislings and traitors who were seeking
13
"separate elections and a separate government" in south
Korea.
Kim Wol Song, who was the oldest man amongst the
delegates declared the joint conference open, and tens of
thousands of congratulatory messages and telegrams sent
to the conference from alJ parts of the country were
announced.
In the light of the circumstances in which Messrs. Kim
Gu and Kim Gyu Sik and their suites would arrive at
Pyongyang on the 20th because of the obstructive acts of
their opponents, the wise General ensured that the con-
ference adjourned fora day prior to the debate on the basic
item.
At the second day's sitting. General Kim II Sung de-
livered a historic report. Pointing out that the patriotic
forces of north and south should wage a unified nation-
wide struggle to establish a united central government on
an independent and democratic principle, he said:
"Anyone who truly loves the country should
categorically reject treacherous separate elec-
tions. In this nationwide struggle all people who
are concerned about the fate of the country and the
nation, must unite, irrespective of party affiliation,
religious denomination and political views. ...
"We should exert all our efforts and wage a
nationwide struggle to build a unified, independent
sovereign state and set up a unified government on
democratic principles."
The representatives of various social sections attending
the conference voiced their supportforand approval of the
General's report as a beacon fighting the road of national
salvation and reunification, and the representatives from
south Korea expressed a determination to further intensify
the struggle against the separate elections which would be
detrimental to the nation.
Mr. Kim Gu who attended the resumed conference and
was elected to the presidium made a speech on the third
day. Stressing that it was an important task to reject the
anti-patriotic separate elections in south Korea, he called
for efforts to reunify the country in a spirit of unity.
14
The north-south joint conference unanimously adopted
a "resolution on the political situation in Korea" expressing
their resolve to oppose and reject the separate elections in
south Korea and to establish a united government, asked
the Soviet Union and the United States to withdraw their
troops, and organized a Committee of Struggle against the
separate elections. At the same time, it adopted the
"Appeal to All the Korean Compatriots" 'calling for a
struggle to save the country.
The conference ended successfully on April 23.
Mr. Kim Gu was greatly moved at the fruitful results of
the north-south joint conference. In fact, some of the south
Korean representatives had doubted whether the joint
conference attended by people with different ideas and
political views would turn out successfully, and there were
even people who attended just to see how things would
develop. As for Mr. Kim Gu himself, as an exile for a long
time, he had found it difficult to achieve unity even within
the "Provisional Government" and after liberation, had
also failed to bring about unity between various parties and
groups for complete independence and sovereignty in
south Korea in spite of his strenuous efforts. Because of
these experiences and precedents he had been somewhat
concerned about the outcome of the joint conference, but
had set out on the journey putting aside all other matters
since the cause of national salvation and reunification was
urgent.
However/people from various parties and groups in the
north and south turned out and gathered at the joint
conference planned and called by the General, at which
their wishes for national salvation and reunification were
united and they declared that they would wage a nation-
wide struggle with one objective—to reject the "separate
elections and a separate government" and achieve.in-
dependence and reunification.
It was a meeting of great national concord which he
witnessed for the first time in his life. The wise General
brought about national unity which he had sought all his
life. ' . . „
He was struck with admiration from the bottom of his
15
heart at the outstanding attraction andtjreat leadership of
the General who united as one under the banner of national
ideal and patriotism all those who differed in thinking and
political conception.
Following the joint conference, the wise General held
many consultations with Messrs. Kim Gu, Kim Gyu Sik,
Hong Myong Hui and Cho Wan Gu in a sincere and
harmonious atmosphere about definite measures for in-
dependent reunification.
During many discussions, Mr. Kim Gu again sym-
pathized with and wasfascinated by the clear-cut stand of
independence and splendid plan of reunification of the
General who put the fate and honour of the nation before
everything else. So, he felt he had been absolutely correct
when he had come to the north, regardless of success or
failure. H« had started on the journey to the north with a
grim resolution to give away his own life at once if the
country wanted it and to refuse his cooperation with
anybody to establish a separate government for his per-
sonal convenience even if he fell dead on the 38th parallel
trying to build a reunified motherland.
While he was attending the joint conference and several
talks and making many inspection trips in north Korea, he
was persuaded in the depths of his mind that the wise
General Kim II Sung wasthefocal point of national union.
He solemnly signed and sealed the joint statement on the
measures for saving the nation adopted at the consultative
meeting of the leaders of political parties and organizations
in north and south Korea held on April 30. It was a
confession of his soul and declaration of his patriotism to
achieve the sacred cause of reunification at all costs
through the unity of compatriots of the same blood by
sinking differences in thinking and ideals.
During his stay Mr. Kim Gu visited and inspected many
places in north Korea.
He was greatly impressed by the spirit of independence
of the Koreans who under the leadership of the wise
General were guarding the honour of the nation exercising
all their rights in their own land. , General who had laid a fine groundwork for national
The spirit of national independence was what impressed
16
himfrom the first moment he setfoot in north Korea. When
he and his party crossed the 38th parallel, they were
stopped by -the guards. This was due to a slip of the
reception personnel who had been instructed by the
General to see that there was no omission in welcoming
them. Mr. Kim Gu could not conceal his displeasure at the
guards challenging him when he was coming to the north
on the understanding that his past would not be held
against him and on a formal invitation. Hearing that the
General had learned of this and reprimanded the official
concerned, he felt sorry thinking that the General had dealt
with the man so strictly when he and his party had been
checked by our own guards who were not foreign soldiers.
I (An U Saeng) was late in leaving Seoul because I was
delayed in settling outstanding matters, and arrived at the
38th parallel with Mr. Kim Gyu Sik and his suite. I took a
few steps forward and shouted in Russian, "Tovarish". But
the men who came out were not Soviet soldiers but Korean
guards and reception officials. This was something which
we had not expected, because we had thought that in the
north, as in south Korea where the American troops played
the master, the Soviet soldiers would be acting as masters
as a matter of course.
When Mr. Kim Gu and his party attended the public
performance given in celebration of the joint conference,
they were also pleased at the national melodies of the
songs and the national rhythms of the dances and so they
applauded loudly. At the Hwanghae IrotvWorks, they were
deeply impressed at the sight of the gigantic blast furnaces
being skilfully operated by Koreans. Atan exciting scene of
tapping the molten iron they even shouted "Hurrah!"
Deeply moved at the situation in north Korea where the
fresh spirit of independencewas brimming in all spheres of
social life and things everywhere were Korean and full of
national flavour, Mr. Kim Gu said that "it is vibrant with a
new rising spirit." This remark from a man who was usually
taciturn and slow of speech rather than being a fluent
speaker was an expression of his respect for the wise
independence and sovereignty which he had longed for all
17

through his life of 70 years.
During his stay here he was also deeply impressed by the
modest and kind hearted character and lofty virtues of the
wise General.
This feeling budded and took shape even at the first
reception. Upon his arrival in Pyongyang Mr. Kim Gu
changed his clothes at the hotel and immediately went to
see the General in his office. Until then his deportment
reminded one somehow that he was still caring about his
importance a,nd authority as President of the "Provisional
Government."
The General received Mr. Kim Gu courteously and
warmly and said, as though talking to an old acquaintance,
that he must have hada hard time to comeand thanked him
for his coming all the way for the sake of the cause of
national reunification in spite of his old age.
Mr, Kim Gu expressed his regret at arriving late for the
conference and presented his son Kim Sin to the General.
Addressing Kim Sin, the General expressed appreciation
for his trouble in taking his elderly father on a long journey.
, He told him what had happened so far and asked him for
his opinion about the agenda or proceeding of the con-
ference. He also inquired whether he was comfortable."
Then he introduced me (Kim Jong Hang) as His secretary
and recommended me to him as a secretary. Mr. Kim Gu felt
embarrassed and declined the offer, but the General again
urged him to use me as a secretary.
After this first meeting he was seen off by the General at
the porch. When he returned to his quarters with me,
members of his suite gathered round him and asked, "Did
you meet him. Sir?"
"He is a young General and is really admirable," he said
with a feeling of confidence in the young General* his face
radiating satisfaction and assurance.
To tell the truth, after the August 15 liberation, politicians
from the south came to see General Kim II Sung not with
feelings of respect and admiration alone from the first Not
infrequently, old politicians who, proud of their long
records of political activities and high public reputation,
had refused to take a humble attitude, but when they
18
met the young General, they bowed their heads and felt
respect for him. Such was the case with Mr. RyoUn Hyong
and also with Mr. Kim Gu.
This feeling of Mr. Kim Gu deepened further at
Mangyongdae. That day he visited the School for the
Bereaved Children of Revolutionaries there. Then, as the
weather was fine, he went up to Mangyong Hill. On his
way down after looking out over the surrounding scene, he
passed the General's native home.
He had an important meeting with Kim Bo Hyon who
was mending the fence in the yard. Learning that
Kim Bo Hyon was the grandfather of the General, he
greeted him politely.
When the grandfather found that he was Mr. Kim Gu, he
remembered something and asked whether he was not the
same Mr. Kim Gu who had been arrested on a charge of
killing a Japanese officer, Tsuchida, at Chihapo in 1896
and had a trying time in the Inchon prison, from which he
escaped and wandered from place to place until he hid
himself in the Ryongchon Buddhist hermitage near
Mangyongdae where he passed himself off as its resident
priest. Deeply touched by the fact that the grandfather
remembered the past in such detail, Mr. Kim Gu thanked
him.
The party of visitors looked very surprised to learn that
the low, humble straw-thatched house was the General's
native home. They looked around the inside and outside of
the yard, open shed and even kitchen, but could not find
expensive articles but ordinary farm impleme/itsand simple
household utensils, and there was only a bowl of leftovers
cooked with minor cereals. This amazed them still more.
Mr. Kim Gu courteously said to Kim Bo Hyon:
"The General is your eldest grandson, so why do you toil
without resting comfortably in your old age?"
"Although he is my grandson, I'm a farmer, aren't I?" the
grandfather replied. "From olden times it has been said that
farming is the foundation of the country. So, only when we
raise good crops will the state affairs administered by my
grandson proceed smoothly, isn't that so?"
On his way back from Mangyongdae, Mr. Kim Gu quietly
19
said that he had learned many things from his meeting with
the grandfather and was greatly moved for the first time in
his life.
"Indeed, like grandson, like grandfather!" he said in
great admiration even after he returned to his quarters.
His respect and affection for the wise General deepened
ever more when he saw his modest appearance at the mass
demonstration in celebration of May Day where he stood
exposed to the falling rain with the demonstrators, when he
learned that the General had discovered his preference in
food and had ensured that green pea paste and toasted
laver were served on his table at every meal, and when he
came into touch with his simple and kind habits as the latter
took him along to Ssuk Islet on the Taedong River to enjoy
some fishing and inspire the dry heart of an old politician
with an emotional taste of life. Although he used to be
proud that he had devoted all his life to the arrti-Japanese,
national cause, he felt his head bow low of its own accord
before the General's modest and simple qualities, burning
human love and patriotism and lofty virtues.
That the wise General's personality captivated him and
commanded his ever-increasing respect is also due to the
former's lofty sense of duty and great magnanimity.
When Mr. Kim Gu and his suite visited the School for the
Bereaved Children of Revolutionaries, he was profoundly
touched by the revolutionary sense of duty of the General
who had sought out the bereaved children Of the anti-'
Japanese patriotic martyrs one by one even in the complex
circumstances after August 15 and was raising them with
the utmost care. Moreover, he wasdelighted when Li Jong
Ik, who was his close acquaintance because he had once
been the Minister of Education in the "Provisional
Government", was now the rector of the school and
showed him over it. When he discovered that the General
was even raising the children of nationalists like the son of
Independence Army Commander Ryang Se Bong, to say
nothing of the sons and daughters of his comrades-in-
arms, he was struck with still greater admiration.
After returning home, Mr. Kim Gu called on the bereaved
families of patriot Yun Bong Gil and other martyrs, shed
20
tears in memory of the deceased and consoled their
families. But it was beyond his power to arrange things as
in north Korea in the conditions of being insulted and
treated coldly as "Chongqing.beggars." The reality of north
Korea which was pervaded with a moral conception of life
gave great pleasure to him who had only been accustomed
to a cruel society where a material view of life prevailed. So
he looked very satisfied..
"This is quite understandable since his father was
engaged in the anti-Japanese independence movement,"
Mr. Cho Wan Gu who was among the visitors said and
nodded his head.
The politicians of the "Provisional Government" had
heard from Ryu Jin Dong, the physician in attendance on
President Kim Gu, (who had come to Shanghai after
graduating from the Yuwen Middle School in Jilin, the
alma mater of General Kim II Sung) that the General wasa
son of Kim Hyong Jik, the founder of the Korean National
Association. .
Mr. Kim Gu received a great shock. He had already been
deeply impressed by the General's broad-mindedness and
magnanimity, and now, through the inspection of the
school, personally felt strong affinities with the commu-
nists of north Korea, in spite of the difference in ideas, that
they both had one and the same end—the complete
independence and sovereignty of Korea.
This feeling of intimacy was stirred to greater depths by
his reunion with An Sin Ho.
Of course, I (An U Saeng) had already known a great
deal about Mr. Kim Gu's life, but little thought that the
General would have known of the old connection between
Mr. Kim Gu and An Sin Ho.
An Sin Ho was a younger sister of Mr. An Chang Ho.
When she was young, she and Mr. KimGu met and became
engaged. But when her brother wasleavingfor America,he
wrote her that he had promised her in marriage to a middle-
school boy called Ryang in Shanghai. Finding herself in an
awkward situation, she broke off her engagement with
both, presumably out of respect to Mr. Kim Gu. The latter
regretted it very much. Time had flown by since then and
21
 they met again in the twilight of their lives, both now
widowed.
Learning of their unforgettable relations, the General had
arranged their reunion. After his return to the homeland in
triumph, the General heard that An Sin Ho was living in
Nampo. He said that her brother Mr. An Chang Ho was an
anti-Japanese patriot and recalled with deep emotion how
he had delivered him from captivity when he had been
arrested by Japanese police in Jilin. And he enlisted her in
the work of the Women's Union. After that, she had entree
to the residence of the General and would tell him
everything she thought about. The General treated her with
courtesy and special attention.
The reunion of the two after more than 40 years was
extremely touching. An Sin Ho shed tears of joy and Mr.
Kim Gu held her hands tightly and blinked his tearful eyes
with a thousand emotions crowding his mind. They dined
together and sat until late at night lost in reminiscences
with no thought of time.
Listening to her story that after liberation she had been
taking an-active part in public and political activities as
chairman of the Nampo city committee of the North Korean
Women's Union, deputy to the North Korean People's
Assembly and member of the Legislation Committee, he
knew that his worries about her had been totally ground-
less. He had thought that she would be persecuted under
"communist rule" because she had come from the family of
a nationalist, was a Christian married to a clergyman and,
• moreover, had once been hisfiancee. Now he realized once
more how great and deep the wise General's magnanimity
was. Probably for this reason, he spent all histime here with
An Sin Ho.
Mr. Kim Gu went to the Changdaejae Church in
Pyongyang which was under the guidance of Pastor Kang
Ryang Uk and saw the service conducted by Pastor Kim
Jae Son who was an old acquaintance of his. That Pastor
Kang Ryang Uk went with him that day was an instance
which showed the great generosity of the General. Pastor
Kang had lost his son and daughter at the hands of
the terrorists who had sneaked in from south Korea in
22
March 1946. The arrested culprits carried certificates of a
rightwing reactionary organization issued in the name
of Kim Gu. So, he could not entertain good will towards
Mr. Kim Gu.
Perceiving his feelings, the General told him that since
Mr. Kim Gu had now come to attend the joint conference
for the reunification of the country, he should not be
narrow-minded towards him because of the past but treat
him kindly and should subordinate a small matter to the
great national cause. Taking the General's sincere words
into account. Pastor Kang calmly and willingly conducted
Mr. Kim Gu.
An Sin Ho who knew this asked Mr. Kim Gu frankly yet
reproachfully, "Why did you let them kill Pastor Kang's son
and daughter?"
"But I certainly never told them to do that", he said in an
evasive answer. Yet he appeared very embarrassed.
Because Mr. Kim Gu and Pastor Kang Ryang Uk were all
devoted to the just cause of great national union, this
unpleasant subject was not mentioned again.
During his stay Mr. Kim Gu paid a visit to the old home of
his oldest friend An Chang Ho, made a call at the
Ryongchon Buddhist .hermitage recalling the long past
days to his memory, and even enjoyed the taste of
Pyongyang cold noodles prepared by different recipes at a
restaurant by his hotel.
His sojourn in Pyongyang was no more than a fortnight.
In his life of 70 years dedicated to the anti-Japanese
patriotic cause of national independence, a fortnight was a
very short time.
- Nevertheless, to Mr. Kim Gu this short time was a period
during which he was inspired and captivated by the
powers of leadership, affinity and attraction of the illus-
trious General who set out the programme of great national
union, and a period of change in his life when he keenly
realized the truth that his lifelong principle would be
glorified and eternalized by following the national· leader
General Kim II Sung.
It seemed to him that he was clearly seeing the bright
future of our nation.
23
 terrorism inherited from the heroic attempts of the right-
eous fighters Li Bong Chang, Yun Bong Gil and PaekJong
Gi. Less than that, they did not reach the high plane of
armed anti-Japanese struggle based on formidable
political and military forces organized with the popular
masses as the foundation. The failure to rely on the
unbounded anti-Japanese potentialities of the broad
The determined attitude of Mr. Kim Gu who could not
masses who suffered most from the colonial rule of
give up his resolve to make a journey to north Korea in spite
Japanese imperialism was due to the unsurmountable
of the obstructive moves of the objectors who predicted,
limitation of the anti-Japanese independence movement
"His trip will be fruitless," was motivated by the patriotic
of the "Provisional Government" group headed by Mr. Kim
desire not to remain a mere spectator to the national crisis.
Gu. This limitation had been caused, in the long run, by the
However/he could not help worrying in the depths of his
world outlook of Mr. Kim Gu who regarded the popular
heart that if the north-south joint conference should fail to
masses as the objects of delivery but failed to understand
attain the desired end, he who had loudly assured its
that they were precisely the internal factor for victory.'" the
success would lose face. Therefore, the successful conclu-
anti-Japanese struggle and the main agency of developing
sion of the conference gladdened him more than anything.
national history.
Moreover, his joy did not come simply from the results of
Recollecting the time when Mr. Kim Gu deeply lamented
the conference. It was a feeling of boundless satisfaction
the lack of sufficient preparations to meet the great event of
and happiness deriving from the fact, that he had as-
national liberation, I (An U Saeng) could fully understand
certained the focal point of national union which
his sincere and deep conviction that General Kim II Sung
possessed the authority of leadership enabling it to dem-
was the only person to lead Korea.
onstrate the rallying of such nationwide patriotic forces.
Before leaving Pyongyang, Mr. Kim Gu asked me (Kim
Now Mr. Kim Gu was not a helpless person who would
Jong Hang) toconvey hisrequestto the General toarrange
return empty-handed from a fruitless journey. He felt as if
a personal interview with him with the presence of only
the spring had come round again to him, an old tree, who
one secretary.
was filled with firm confidence in the bright future of the
The General granted his request with pleasure and met
nation. Feeling himself rejuvenated in this way in the last
him on May 3.
stage of his life, he became boundlessly humble, looking
On his way to the meeting, Mr. Kim Gu asked me:
back on the footprints he had left in the history of the
"Mr. Kim, we shall be alone today, if I am not mistaken?"
nation. "I think that only the General will be there."
When watching the play "Mt Paekdu," he felt still
He looked very pleased.
greater respect for General Kim II Sung and sincerely told
The General, who had been waiting came forward and
him that while the General had been waging the armed
met him in a polite and affectionate manner. He invited him
struggle for national liberation for 15 long years, he himself
to a seat and inquired in detail about his health.
had only been engaged in word play.
Speaking highly of his participation in the north-south
From the time when he had killed the Japanese officer at
joint conference, the General expressed his thanks for his
Chihapo, he abandoned his parents, wife, children and
efforts for the success of the conference.
everything he owned for the sake of the anti-Japanese
Telling the General of the true feelings he had so far
cause of independence. But his anti-Japanese strategy
entertained towards north Korea and communists, Mr. Kim
and tactics had not gone far beyond the limits of individual
25
24
Gu said that after coming to the north he had found a
radical difference between the communists here and the
"communists" he had known before.
The General told him that the "communists" he had met
before in Shanghai or Chongqing were mostly factionalists
and spurious communists who had indulged in sectarian
fighting blinded by ambition for political power without
regard to the interests of the country and the people and
thereby spoilt the cause of national liberation, and that the
true communists were sincere patriots who dearly loved
their country and people.
Mr. Kim Gu told the General that he had asked for the
interview because he wanted to hear a more detailed
account of his opinion in order to carry out the decision of
the joint conference.
Pointing out that the greatest task facing the nation was
to wage an all-nation struggle to check and frustrate the
attempts of the US imperialists and their lackeys to create a
separate government and to establish a unified govern-
ment on democratic principles, the wise General shed light
on the detailed way to achieve this, which lay through the
firm unity of the patriotic forces in the north and the south
and the formation of a united front to save the country.
At the interview Mr. Kim Gu made a resolve that on his
return to south Korea, he would oppose the plot of
establishing a separate government and would make every
effort to achieve alliance and cooperation with commu-
nism and strengthen the united front for national salvation
for the purpose of establishing an independent central
government
With a deep feeling of faith, the General expressed his
firm belief that Mr. Kim Gu who enjoyed great popularity
amongst the south Korean people and democrats would
play a large role in forming a united front for national
salvation.
Mr. Kim Gu tendered his thanks to the General for
placing great confidence in him. Then he advanced a few
more requests. Η e said he wanted the General to consent to
the resumption of the supply of irrigation water to the
Yonbaek plain from the Kuam and Ryeui reservoirs so that
26
his trip to the north might prove its worth.
This was one of the few problems which had already
come up at the talks of the leaders on April 24 and 26. At
these talks, Mr. Kim Gu had asked for the settling or
assistance in settling the problem of the supply of irrigation
water to the Yonbaek plain, of power transmission, of
allowing Cho Man Sik to go to Seoul with him, and of a
state funeral for the remains of the righteous fighter An
Jung Gun: At that time, it had been proved by material
evidence, and an understanding had been reached, that the
problems of water and electricity had arisen because the
US military government authorities had failed to keep their
promise. As for Cho Man Sik, he had been a pro-Japanese
element who had surrendered to the Japanese imperialists
before liberation and advocated the idea of the "oneness of
Japan and Korea" and taken the lead in herding the Korean
youths out to the battlefields for the Japanese imperialists
by actively espousing the "volunteering for student-
soldiers" and conscription. After liberation he had ob-
structed the building of a democratic independent state
and the independent reunification of the country and
engaged in intelligence activities and sabotages by com-
bining the pro-Japanese elements and national traitors.
Thus, he had been exposed and denounced as a traitor at
the congress of activists of the Democratic Party and
~ expelled from the party. Learning this, Mr. Kim Gu had
withdrawn his original suggestion to take him back to
Seoul with him. (As for the problem of reintering the
remains of An Jung Gun, great trouble was taken later to
conduct field investigations, but the remains could not be
discovered because the Japanese imperialist hangmen had
disposed of them secretly.)
So the problems had been settled, but now Mr. Kim Gu
again raised the question of water with the General at the
interview.
The General granted his request and told him to send
delegates of the peasants when he returned to south Korea.
Mr. Kim Gu was highly delighted. Thanks to the kind
consideration of the General, the water problem was
amicably settled after that, so that life-giving water again
27
flowed into the southern Yonbaek plain. The US military
government authorities and the Syngman Rhee clique did
not meet their promise as regards the power problem, and
so the supply of power was suspended with a statement to
that effect.
At the interview with the wise General Mr. Kim Gu said
without reserve that he now had no ambition for political
power and that although he wanted to stay and work here,
he should go back to the south because if he did not go, the
adversaries were likely to spread a false rumour that he had
been detained and, in particular, because he had to ensure
the successful implementation of the decision of the recent
conference. If he failed in his efforts after all, he would
come back. When he returned, he went on, he would spend
his remaining years cultivating an orchard in the native
place of the late Mr. An Chang Ho, if the General would be
kind enough to give him one. Thistalk of an orchard did not
come up by chance. He would often say in the days of the
"Provisional Government" that he had had no education
and so when the homeland attained independence, he
would cultivate an orchard for the rest of his life. The
General said that if that was his earnest desire, it would not
be so difficult to meet it and explained that the people's
government would give an orchard and that the law of the
people's government provided for the preferential treat-
ment of people who had given distinguished service to the
state.
Learning that in south Korea many people came to Mr.
Kim Gu with requests for his calligraphy with a writing
brush and that he himself'had a fancy for the high-quality
rice paper produced in north Korea for his own use in
writing and studying, the General offered to present him
with a gift of paper, writing brushes and ink sticks in token
of their memorable meeting.
Mr. Kim Gu sincerely thanked the General once again for
his thoughtful kindness. Then he said in a respectful and
ardent tone:
"General, I think Korea has really met its master. You are
the only person to lead Korea. I entrust everything to you.!'
With this he solemnly produced the seal of the
28
"Shanghai Provisional Government".
The General was moved by his sincerity, but urged him to
keep the seal with him as before and said that he needed
nothing more than the deep trust of the people.
The seal symbolized, the authority of the "Provisional
Government" which Mr. Kim Gu and his colleagues
proudly considered to be the continuer of the tradition of
the bloody March First Movement. It was for them as good
asan "Imperial Seal." They had carried it without letting go
qf it even for a moment on MeHanglu Street in Shanghai,
Hepinglu Street in Chongqing and on their way back to the
homeland. To give up such a seal without hesitation meant
a significant declaration of change for Mr. Kim Gu who had
passed his 70-year milestone on the rugged path of life
dedicated to the anti-Japanese cause of independence, a
declaration to entrust the fate of the nation and his own
soul to the wise General Kim II Sung. Underthe influence
of the General's powers of leadership, affinity and attrac-
tion, Mr. Kim Gu in the closing stage of his life made a
laudable change from anti-communist nationalism to pro-
communist nationalism. The mental state he now reached
was, as the ancients said, "If a man learns the way in the
morning, he may die in the evening without regret."
The personal interview which would be remembered
long in history ended.
The General gave his arm to Mr. Kim Gu and helped him
to the porchway to see him off, and told him kindly that as
he had devoted all his life to the cause of national
independence, he should take good care of his health in
every way in view of the great undertaking which lay
ahead.
Mr. KimGu bade farewell to the General and made to get
into the car, but stopped for a moment. Perhaps he was
sorry to part.
With a smile the General waved farewell.
The distance was widening between the General who
was standing where he was until the car was out of sight
and Mr. KimGu who was leaving, but theirfeetings of duty
to each other seemed to be strengthening, rising above
time and space. The scene touched my (Kim Jong Hang's)
29
heart as if it had been a beautiful and important scroll. It
was indeed a stirring sight.
In the car Mr. Kim Gu said in a voice coming from the
depths of his heart:
"Surely he is a person sent us by Heaven.to conduct the
general trend of the world."
In view of the fact that the south Korean representatives
had come by rough and rugged paths, the General saw to it
that they were provided with new clothes when.returning,
and said it was preferable to give suit materials to Messrs.
Kim Gu and Kim Gyu Sik.
The south Korean representatives departed with a pat-
riotic determination to turn out in the struggle against
"separate elections and a separate government" in support
of the wise General's plan for national salvation.
On May 4, Mr. Kim Gu left Pyongyang with high-quality
materials for clothes, five cases of rice paper, many writing
brushes and ink sticks and ink slabs specially mdde of
Wiwon stone which were heartfelt gifts from the General
and with the great determination to devote his remaining
years to the proud cause of achieving reunification in
alliance with communism.
Mr. Kim Gu was a conscientious nationalist who met his
death on the road of alliance and cooperation with
communism and independent reunification.
Much water has run under the bridge since Mr. Kim Gu
and many other patriots who had attended the historic
north-south joint conference departed from this life, and
now we are in the evening of our lives.
History is not a mere record. Good experiences of the
past are valuable assets of today.
The spirit of the joint conference of 38 years ago which
had brought about great national union by transcending
the difference in ideology, political views and religious
beliefs on the sacred road to independent reunification
poses a still more urgent national historic demand at the
present.
Although time has passed and Mr. Kim Gu is gone, his
ardent love of the nation and patriotic loyalty have left a
distinctive mark on the history of our nation.
It is because there is the great heart of the respected
leader that Mr. Kim Gu's patriotism shines forth and lives
on for ever.

After returning to Seoul, Mr. Kim Gu formed the

Association for the Promotion of Reunification and
Independence aimed at the organization of a united front
for national salvation and fought, mercilessly exposing the'
aggressive policy of the US imperialists and the moves of
the Syngman Rhee clique to sell out and split the country.
The US imperialists and traitorous Syngman Rhee clique
resorted to all manner of threats and tricks in their efforts to
divert him from the road of patriotism and alliance with
communism.
But as Mr. Kim Gu refused to give up his determination
for patriotism and alliance with communism, his enemies
committed the sordid crime of assassinating him on June
26,1949.

30 31
 NOTES

1. April north-south joint conference—the Joint Confer-

ence of Representatives of Political Parties and Public
Organizations in North and South Korea held in Pyongyang
from April 19 to 23, 1948

2. Provisional Government—the Provisional Government of

the Republic of Korea founded by 29 Korean nationalist exiles
in Shanghai, China, in April 1919. From 1926 it was headed by
Kim Gu

3. Anti-trusteeship campaign—a campaign of traitors to the

nation against the decision of the Three Foreign Ministers'
Conference held in Moscow. The conference of foreign
ministers of the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain
held in Moscow in December 1945 decided that the nations
which had been parties to the war against Japan would render
assistance in establishing a democratic independent state in
Korea. Not wishing to see the establishment of a united
independent state in Korea, the US imperialists immediately
came out against this decision, describing it as a "plan of
trusteeship," and urged the reactionary forces on to launch the
anti-trusteeship campaign. Although this campaign was car-
ried on under the specious name of rejecting "trusteeship," it
was in fact a treacherous country-sell ing move to facilitate US
imperialism's colonial rule over south Korea.

4. The 38th parallel—the line of 38 degrees North Latitude

which divides Korea into north arid south to demarcate the
temporary zones of jurisdiction for the disarmament of the
Japanese aggressor army in accordance with the agreement
reached in the closing stage of the Pacific war between the
nations engaged in the war against Japan.