Pravda, February 5, 1949
Pyongyang, February 4 (TASS). On January 31 and February 1 the second session of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Korea continued its work.
On January 31 discussions were held on the speech made by Pak Hyon-yong, Minister of Foreign Affairs, concerning the foreign policy of the government of the Korean People’s Democratic Republic. Eight deputies participated in these discussions. All the participants unanimously approved the foreign policy of the government.
Pointing to the exceptional role played by the Soviet Union in the formation of the independent Korean state, Deputy Lee Wang-ding (Southern Korea), declared: “The Soviet Union is our liberator. It not only freed us from the yoke of Japanese imperialism and extended us aid in the democratic construction of Northern Korea, but also assisted us in our struggle to unify all the Korean people in one state.”
Deputy Yi Sing-no (Southern Korea) emphasized the necessity for further consolidation of the friendship between the Korean and Soviet peoples.
Deputy Dun Pyak (Southern Korea) told of the heroic struggle of the peoples of Southern Korea for freedom and independence against the colonizing policy of the USA and pointed out that the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Northern Korea indicates the disinterested nature of the policy pursued by the Soviet Union in Korea.
Deputy Pak Yun-kil (Northern Korea) expressed gratitude to the Soviet Union for the tremendous assistance it has provided the Korean people in building a democracy. The speaker declared that with its peace-loving policy, the Soviet Union has exposed the grasping nature of US policy in Korea. The new UNO commission for Korea, which was formed under pressure from the United States, serves to camouflage this US policy. Pak Yun-kil also pointed out that the policy of reviving Japanese militarism, pursued by the United States, is a threat to the independence of the Korean people, who were under the yoke of Japanese imperialism for nearly forty years.
Under the proposal of Deputy Chun Sin-mek (Southern Korea), the second session of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Korea unanimously approved the foreign policy of the Korean People’s Democratic Republic.
Then Deputy Hong Hi-ju, vice-chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Korea, delivered a report on the conduct of the elections to the local organs of authority—the People’s Committees of the provinces, cities, districts, myons, ris, and villages. The speaker pointed out that the proclamation made by the Korean People’s Democratic Republic following the historic elections of August 25, 1948, the adoption of the Constitution of the Korean People’s Democratic Republic, and the establishment of the government of the republic are a great historic victory for the Korean people in their struggle against the colonizing policy of the American imperialists and their lackeys—pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the Korean people.
“In Northern Korea,” Hong Hi-ju declared, “where all power is in the hands of the people, agricultural reform, a labor law, a law nationalizing industry, a law for equal rights between men and women, and other democratic reforms radically changing the political, economic, and cultural aspect of our motherland, which was formerly a backward, oppressed, and downtrodden country, were instituted under the leadership of the People’s Committee the real people’s organs of authority; and a firm political and economic foundation was laid for the construction of an independent state.”
Hong Hi-ju told of the tremendous work performed by the local People’s Committees for raising the material and cultural standard of living of the population. Thus in the province of Hwang Hä Do alone, 18,757 new houses, 725 clubs, 1,626 reading huts, and 543 schools were constructed; 2,398 propaganda stations were organized; and the peasants bought 4,292 threshing machines and 2,298 weeding machines and acquired 13,545 draft animals. In the provice of Pyongan-Namdo, 50,960 houses were electrified; 15 theaters, 273 clubs, and 2,449 propaganda stations were constructed. The local People’s Committees did a great job in the construction and repair of roads, bridges, and irrigation works.
Then Hong Hi-ju dwelt on the activities of Syngman Rhee’s puppet “government” and his local “organs of authority.” In describing the work of the city administration of Seoul, he pointed out to what extent the administration “is concerned” for the welfare of the people. More than 600,000 inhabitants of Seoul, said the speaker, live under the open sky in the winter. The city administration has rebuilt a total of only 260 mud huts for them, 250 of which served as shelters during air raids. These Syngman Rhee “organs of authority” have broken away from the people and do not have their support. These organs can exist on ly with the help of American bayonets.
In contrast to this, the local People’s Committees in Northern Korea have proved to be real people’s organs of authority. Hong Hi-ju pointed out that a large number of workers of the lower organs of authority have been trained during a short period of time, workers who come from the people and who know how to govern the state. Hong Hi-ju said that it was necessary to conduct elections to the local organs of authority—the People’s Committees—in order to bring the state structure of the Korean People’s Democratic Republic into conformity with its Constitution.
Upon the proposal of woman deputy Pak Jong-ai, the second session of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Korea passed legislation concerning the conduct of elections to the local organs of authority—the People’s Committees in the provinces, cities, myons, and districts—in the territory of the republic north of the thirty-eighth parallel in March of this year; and elections of deputies to the People’s Committees of ris and villages—in the second half of 1949. In regard to the question of holding elections to the local organs of authority—the People’s Committees in the southern territory of the republic, the session passed the following resolution: “The dates for the conduction of elections to the local organs of authority—the People’s Committees in the territory south of the thirty-eighth parallel—are to be set by the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Korea, contingent upon the prevailing situation.”
On February 1 the second session of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Korea unanimously passed the law on the national economic plan for 1949–1950, by ballotting on each section.
Then Kim Il-sung, the chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Korean People’s Democratic Republic, made a great speech and was warmly greeted by the deputies. His speech was repeatedly interrupted by uproarious applause.
Hu Hyon, the chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly, announced that the second session of the People’s Assembly of Korea was adjourned.