(January 24,1958)

Comrade Prime Minister Kim Il Sung,

We have received both your letters, dated December 16 and 25, 1957.

We have carefully studied the two plans put forward for the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from Korea. We feel that it is more appropriate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to initiate a request for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Korea, then for the Chinese government to respond to the request of the Korean government. Therefore, we consider it better to adopt the plan proposed in your letter of December 16. Regarding this plan, we now make some specific suggestions. We have already consulted the Soviet government on these suggestions, to which they have expressed full agreement. The suggestions are now presented as follows, and we request you and the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party to consider whether they are appropriate.

1. The Supreme People's Council of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would write a letter to the United Nations, which would be put forward in the United Nations by the Soviet Union, as a member of the United Nations, to press for action by the United Nations. But this method has one defect, that is it would treat the whole United Nations as our belligerent, whereas in actuality it is only a minority of U.N members who have sent aggressive troops to form the U.N Forces. Hence we suggest that the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issue a public statement, advancing the following proposals in accordance with the basic propositions of the Korean-Chinese side on the Korean question at the 1954 Geneva Conference:

(1) The UN Forces and the Chinese People's Volunteers are to withdraw from Korea simultaneously;

(2) South Korea and North Korea are to conduct consultations on an equal footing, so as to establish and develop economic and cultural relations between them and prepare for free elections in all of Korea;

(3) Within a defined period of time after the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from South Korea and North Korea, free elections are to take place throughout Korea under the supervision of an organization composed of neutral nations.

2. The Chinese government would issue a statement right after the public statement of the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, supporting the latter's stand and officially expressing its readiness to consult with the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on the withdrawal of the Chinese people's Volunteers in groups at set times, in the meantime demanding that the governments of countries on the side of the U.N. Forces take similar steps.

3. Subsequently, the Soviet government would issue a statement supporting the statements of the Korean and Chinese governments and stressing that the governments of countries on the side of the U.N. Forces should, like the Chinese government, respond to the demand of the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; it would also propose convening a conference of all countries concerned to discuss the peaceful settlement of the Korean question.

4. During the forthcoming visit to Korea by Comrade Zhou Enlai representing the Chinese government in mid-February this year, the Korean and Chinese governments may announce in a joint communiqué that the Chinese government has obtained, through consultation, the agreement of the Chinese People's Volunteers to withdraw from Korea and that the latter have decided to do so in groups before the end of 1958. The Korean and Chinese governments may state in the joint communiqué that the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from Korea prior to that of the U.N. Forces is for the purpose of easing tension and facilitating consultations between South and North Korea on an equal footing for the peaceful reunification of Korea. Therefore, the U.N. Forces ought to take similar actions. Meanwhile, the Chinese People's Volunteers would issue a statement to the effect that the Chinese people and the Korean people depend on each other like lips and teeth and will stand together through thick and thin, and that the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from Korea by no means signifies disregard of the interests of the Korean and Chinese peoples, who share the same weal and woe. If Syngman Rhee and the United States dare renew provocations and cross the armistice line, the Chinese People's Volunteers will, at the request of the Korean government, unhesitatingly fight once again shoulder to shoulder with the Korean People's Army to repulse aggression.

5. We have provisionally worked out the timetable for the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from Korea as follows:

(1) From March to April 1958, after the publication of the joint communiqué of the Korean and Chinese governments, one third of the Chinese People's Volunteers will be withdrawn and completely replaced by the Korean People's Army at the first defense line, while the remaining two thirds will be stationed at the second defense line;

(2) From July to September 1958 the second third will be withdrawn;

(3) The final third is to be withdrawn before the end of 1958.

6. Following publication of the joint communiqué of the Korean and Chinese governments, Switzerland and Sweden on the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission most likely will again ask for the abolition of the Supervisory Commission. Thereupon we can, on the ground that the U.N. Forces are not yet withdrawn, request that they leave a minimum number of persons at Panmunjom to carry out supervision. However, we must be prepared for their departure in disregard of our request.

Please study the above-mentioned points and give us a reply.

Please accept my salutation.

Mao Zedong

January 24, 1958

(PLA Daily)