Telegram to Kim Il-sung Regarding the Withdrawal of the Chinese People’s Volunteers from Korea (January 24, 1958)  Comrade Prime Minister Kim Il-sung:  We have received your letters of [date] and [date]. The two proposals you set forth in these letters concerning the withdrawal of the Chinese People’s Volunteers from Korea have been carefully studied by us.

We believe it would be more appropriate for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to take the initiative in calling for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Korea, with the Chinese Government then responding to the Korean Government’s request.

Accordingly, we consider that the plan outlined in your letter of [date] is preferable.

With regard to this plan, we have formulated certain specific suggestions. We have discussed these suggestions with the Soviet Government, which has expressed full agreement. We now communicate them herewith for your consideration, together with that of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, to determine their suitability.

1. The Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea should address a letter to the United Nations, requesting the [Soviet] Union, as a member state of the United Nations, to raise this issue within the Organization and to urge the United Nations to take action. However, this approach also has its drawbacks: it tends to present the entire United Nations as an adversary, whereas in fact only a small number of UN member states actually contributed troops to the United Nations Command.

Therefore, we propose that the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea issue a public statement. In this statement, drawing upon the fundamental positions advanced by the DPRK and the PRC at the Geneva Conference of 1954 on the Korean question, the following recommendations should be made:

(1) The United Nations Command and the Chinese People’s Volunteers shall withdraw simultaneously from Korea;   (2) The northern and southern parts of Korea shall engage in negotiations on an equal footing with a view to establishing and developing economic and cultural relations between them, and to preparing for free elections throughout the whole of Korea;   (3) Within a specified period after the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from both North and South Korea, free elections for all of Korea shall be held under the supervision of a neutral-country body.

2. Following the issuance of the public statement by the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Chinese Government will in turn issue a statement endorsing the Korean Government’s position and formally expressing its readiness to consult with the Government of the DPRK regarding the phased and scheduled withdrawal of the Chinese People’s Volunteers, while at the same time calling upon the governments concerned within the United Nations Command to take similar steps.

3. The Soviet Government will subsequently also issue a statement supporting the joint statements of the DPRK and the PRC, emphasizing that the governments of the countries comprising the United Nations Command should, like the Chinese Government, respond to the call of the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and proposing the convening of a conference of the relevant states to discuss the peaceful settlement of the Korean question.

4. During Comrade Zhou Enlai’s visit to Korea on behalf of the Chinese Government in mid-February of this year, the governments of China and the DPRK may announce in a joint communiqué that the Chinese Government has obtained the consent of the Chinese People’s Volunteers and that the latter have decided to withdraw from Korea in stages before the end of the year. In the same communiqué, the two governments may declare that the early withdrawal of the Chinese People’s Volunteers, prior to that of the United Nations Command, is intended to ease tensions and facilitate negotiations between the northern and southern parts of Korea on an equal footing for the peaceful reunification of the country. It follows that the United Nations Command should likewise take corresponding action.

Meanwhile, the Chinese People’s Volunteers will issue a statement affirming that the Chinese and Korean peoples are closely linked and share weal and woe; the withdrawal of the Chinese People’s Volunteers from Korea by no means signifies disregard for the common interests of the two nations. Should Syngman Rhee[1] and the United States once again provoke a breach of the Armistice Line, the Chinese People’s Volunteers, upon request of the Korean Government, will without hesitation once more stand side by side with the Korean People’s Army to repel the aggression.

5. As for the timetable for the withdrawal of the Chinese People’s Volunteers from Korea, we tentatively propose the following:

(1) From [month] to [month], following the issuance of the joint communiqué by the governments of China and the DPRK, one-third of the force shall be withdrawn, while the remaining two-thirds will remain in the second line of defense, with the Korean People’s Army assuming full responsibility for the front-line defenses;   (2) From [month] to [month], a second third shall be withdrawn;   (3) Before the end of the year, the final third shall be withdrawn.

6. After the publication of the joint communiqué by the governments of China and the DPRK, the two Nordic members of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission[2] will very likely again put forward a proposal to dissolve the Commission. At that time, we may, on the grounds that the United Nations Command has not yet withdrawn, request them to leave a minimal contingent at Panmunjom to carry out supervisory duties; however, we should also be prepared for the possibility that they may depart regardless.  We respectfully request that you and your colleagues review these points and provide a reply.  Sincerely,  Mao Zedong  Date: [Month] [Day], [Year]  Printed from the telegram draft preserved in the Central Archives.  Notes:  [1] Syngman Rhee was, at the time, President of the Government of South Korea.  [2] Refers to Sweden and Switzerland.