1893-1976
Eastern Europe
(372) documents
East Asia
North Korea
South Korea
1920- 2010
Switzerland
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1912- 1994
1909- 1989
1926- 2016
September 29, 1950
Telegram from Kim Il Sung and Pak Heon-yeong telling Stalin of the losses they have incurred following American air and ground attacks in South Korea and of their general lack of supplies and trained personnel.
January 21, 1988
Memorandum of a discussion between IOC President Samaranch and Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shevardnadze. The two discuss other issues for a while before turning to the "Korea question," as Shevardnadze puts it. Samaranch explains the series of discussions and compromises that have already occurred, as well as expresses some doubt that North Korea is serious about making cooperation happen and that he'd need assurance about the "Olympic family" being able to cross the border. Shevardnadze expresses confidence that that wouldn't be a problem.
January 25, 1988
A letter from Willi Daume, a member of West Germany's Olympic Committee, discussing intelligence that suggested North Korea would attempt to disrupt the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
February 25, 1988
Letter from the North Korea-supported National Democratic Front of South Korea arguing that South Korea is not an appropriate venue for the Olympics, and claiming the country is a "U.S. colony destitute of independence and sovereignty...[where] human rights are mercilessly violated by the dictatorship."
June 4, 1988
A letter from Kim Yu Sun, President of North Korea's Olympic Committee to the IOC, complaining that IOC President Samaranch did not come directly to them with an offer of visiting Pyongyang and had only done so through third parties. North Korea claimed it had invited him directly several times and had received no response. Still, North Korea expressed positive hopes about being able to sort out an agreement on co-hosting the upcoming 1988 Summer Olympics.
June 10, 1988
A letter from the President of the DPRK's NOC, Kim Yu Sun, welcoming the President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, to visit the DPRK in principle. However, because an agreement to co-host the 1988 Olympic Games had not yet been arranged, Kim requests that Samaranch delay his visit to the DPRK for the time being.
June 24, 1988
Letter from the President of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, to the President of the DPRK's NOC, Kim Yu Sun, requesting clarification on what the DPRK means when it says to "co-host" the 1988 Olympic Games.