<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:tahoma, new york, times, serif;font-size:14pt"><div><span>Oh, right, I remember those bronze, or bronzed, plaques near the entrance of the main factory -- one memorializing Kim Il-sung's "guidance" visit, t'other Kim Jong-il's. Photographed them as the proud manager recalled the great honor bestowed by their visits. (He probably wasn't old enough to have been around for Kim Il-sung.)</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><span>Thanks for the history,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><span>Don</span></div><div><br></div> <div style="font-family: tahoma, 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> <div style="font-family: 'times new
roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <hr size="1"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Charles K. Armstrong <cra10@columbia.edu><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> koreanstudies@koreanstudies.com <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, August 14, 2013 10:12 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [KS] Chosen Nitrogen Fertilizer Complex<br> </font> </div> <div class="y_msg_container"><br>As a matter of fact it is, although according to our guides the plant <br>was built under Kim Il Sung's guidance in 1967. In fact, the original <br>plant was built by the Japanese company Chosen Nisso in the 1930s and <br>rebuilt (after complete destruction by the US Air Force) with East <br>German assistance in the 1950s.<br>-- <br>Charles K. Armstrong<br>Professor of History<br>Columbia
University<br>930 International Affairs Building<br>420 West 118th Street<br>New York, NY 10027<br><br>Tel: 212-854-1721<br>Fax: 212-749-1497<br><br><br>Quoting don kirk <<a ymailto="mailto:kirkdon@yahoo.com" href="mailto:kirkdon@yahoo.com">kirkdon@yahoo.com</a>>:<br><br>> Wonder if that fertilizer plant is on the site of the showcase one <br>> that we visited last summer....Look forward to seeing the book.<br>> Best regards,<br>> Don Kirk<br>><br>><br>> ________________________________<br>> From: Charles K. Armstrong <<a ymailto="mailto:cra10@columbia.edu" href="mailto:cra10@columbia.edu">cra10@columbia.edu</a>><br>> To: <a ymailto="mailto:koreanstudies@koreanstudies.com" href="mailto:koreanstudies@koreanstudies.com">koreanstudies@koreanstudies.com</a><br>> Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2013 6:11 PM<br>> Subject: Re: [KS] Chosen Nitrogen Fertilizer Complex<br>><br>><br>> Bill,<br>><br>>
The National Archives in College Park has extensive reports on the <br>> bombing of Hamhung and Hungnam (the affiliated port city), including <br>> descriptions and photos of the fertilizer plant. I refer to them in <br>> the first chapter of my new book "Tyranny of the Weak: North Korea and <br>> the World, 1950 - 1992" (Cornell U. Press). best,<br>><br>> Charles Armstrong<br>> --<br>> Charles K. Armstrong<br>> Professor of History<br>> Columbia University<br>> 930 International Affairs Building<br>> 420 West 118th Street<br>> New York, NY 10027<br>><br>> Tel: 212-854-1721<br>> Fax: 212-749-1497<br>><br>><br>> Quoting Bill Streifer <<a ymailto="mailto:photografr7@yahoo.com" href="mailto:photografr7@yahoo.com">photografr7@yahoo.com</a>>:<br>><br>>> In late-July and August 1950, the Chosen Nitrogen Fertilizer Complex <br>>> in Hungnam, North
Korea was bombed by the Far East Air Force. The <br>>> plant was later described by the U.S. Air Force as a Thorium <br>>> Processing Plant.<br>>><br>>> Then, later that year, U.S./U.N. forces occupied the facility and <br>>> seized documents. I believe that some of those documents are <br>>> archived at the University of Maryland and/or the National Archives <br>>> and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C.<br>>><br>>> Has anyone seen those specific documents either in Korean or their <br>>> English translations? If so, do they confirm that the plant was <br>>> processing nuclear materials? If you are in possession of even one <br>>> of those documents, could you please reply here or contact me <br>>> directly? I would like to view that document or documents myself.<br>>><br>>> Thank you.<br>>> Bill
Streifer<br><br><br><br><br></div> </div> </div> </div></body></html>