The director-general of the Department for Foreign Economic Relations advises against the establishment of a North Korean trade mission in the Netherlands: while the volume of trade with the two Koreas is roughly equal, such a mission would do great harm to commercial interests in South Korea, particularly VMF and Shell.

Recalls a conversation with Heldring of the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion, during which Heldring said he had received word from the North Koreans that they were willing to sign the proposed agreement even though they kept urging the establishment of a permanent trade mission. Heldring pointed out such a mission had recently been established in Switzerland and similar contacts were ongoing in the Scandinavian countries. The Dutch company VMF had, however, by now changed to a much more cautious position because of its South Korean interests. Heldring was putting of a reciprocal visit to North Korea until he knew the Ministry's position.

The note points out the North Korean mission in Paris (since 1968) and the intent of both the Swiss and the Austrians to establish similar missions soon. It mentions the drying up of significant communist loans as a motivation for Pyongyang's increasingly Western economic orientation, particularly through machine and equipment import.

Memorizes a visit by the director of Shell in the Netherlands who reported a message from his colleague in Seoul that establishment of a permanent trade representation by North Korea in the Netherlands would cause significant harm to Shell's operations in South Korea. The Ministry informed him of the talks with the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion and called the issue "entirely open".

Veraart of the Dutch company Verolme visited to report on the farewell dinner he hosted for the North Korean trade mission. The delegation stressed that a trade agreement was not sufficient and that a permanent representation should be established, which Veraart promised to keep talking to the government about.

A cover letter from Heldring of the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion (in Dutch); the text of agreements with the Japan External Trade Organization and the Irish Export Board (in English); and a draft agreement with the Korean Committee for the Promotion of International Trade including lists of goods (in English).

Draft agreement between the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion and the Korea Committee for the Promotion of International Trade.

Memo on a visit by Heldring and Kroese, of the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion, during which a draft agreement with their North Korean counterpart was discussed. Despite some specific objections the agreement in principle was acceptable to the Ministry. (The draft is the first attachment; other materials supplied for comparison by Heldring comprise the second attachment.)

Heldring of the Netherlands Council for Trade Promotion has visited to inquire if the Ministry would object to the Council sponsoring a North Korean trade mission to the Netherlands in June. It did not, but his interlocutor did point out the government's opposition to any permanent trade mission.

Memorizes a visit by the South Korean representative in The Hague to urge the Dutch to deny a North Korean request for visa for journalists.