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보/고/서

ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO. 2837　11 January 1951

FIELD REPORT 533 Eng Tech Intell Team (un-numbered)　No date

1. PERSONAL DETAILS;

PW was very cooperative and did not hesitate on any of the 5 questions. First interrogation was held in Korean, being interpreted for team members by the interrogator assigned from ADVATIS. The final interrogation was held in Russian by members of the team. For a person with supposedly limited schooling, PW has a very sharp mind and thinks for himself. If the subject PW learned the Russian language as he states, he has mastered it to a point where there is no accent in his speech and very few grammatical errors.

PW, in response to questioning, placed the blame of the opening of hostilities on the North Korean government heads and the Kremlin. His mental state at the present is depressed due to the fact of inactivity and the uncertainty of his future. He stated he would like to go to Japan or the U.S.

May 45 PW enlisted in the Japanese Army as a private but deserted in Aug of the same year.

In the next year he took up the study of the Russian language, becoming so proficient that in Sep 46 he was hired in a civilian capacity by the NK Army as a Russian interpreter. At this time he worked for a Soviet, Major KAMISHINI, technical advisor to the North Korean Engineers. Other officers which followed the major were: Sr Lt SEMYONOV and Sr Lt KUPREEV. One of his duties was to translate Russian Engineer Manuals into Korean. In Aug 47 he was given a direct commission as Junior Lieutenant Engineers. He claimed to have learned all his engineering through his work as a translator.

He was assigned in Aug 48 to the Engineer Supply Section of the NK Defense Department at P’YONGYANG. Through his work in this section he as able to describe and enumerate heavy engineer equipment which the Russians gave to the NK’s on lend-lease. Jan 49 he was promoted to captain.

From Jun 49 to Jun 50 he worked for the Engineer Training Staff Section of the Department of Defense. The chief of Engineers at this time was Senior Col Pak Kil Nam.

PW was promoted to Major in May 50 and transferred to the Engineer Section of 2nd Army Hq. The engineer section consisted of only two officers, the Army engineer and the PW, who was the ass’t army engineer.

15 Sept 50, the 2nd Army Hqs pulled back from the INCHON-SEOUL area and PW was sent out t o mine sections of the road from KIMPO to SEOUL. He left Army Hqs and travelled toward KIMPO but instead of completing his mission he just kept on going and on 18 Sep 50, he surrendered to the US Forces.

From 47 until 49 each Engr Regt had, as a Soviet technical advisors, a person who has been schooled and received training in the USSR. Each Bn had 3 Soviet advisors. After 49 the Soviet advisors were only located at Regimental and Army level, since officers and NCO’s at lower levels had supposedly become proficient in their duties. The two principal Soviet advisors who were located at P’YONGYANG from 47-49 were, Lt. Col. STAMUKOV who was later replaced by Co. DOLGIN.

All engineer enlisted men and NCO’s received “on the job” training, as there was no formal school set up. An OCS divided into the various branches of service was located at P’YONGYANG. The Engineer Department headed by Col KIM Chol Un, established an engineer officer candidate course lasting from 9 to 12 months and its capacity was 200 cadets per class. After Jun 50 the course was cut down to 3 months, but even that did not produce sufficient engineer officers, hence many NCO’s were given direct commissions.

Units which PW could identify are as follows: 576th Engr Regt; 584th Railway Regt, consisting of approximately 3000 O & EM. Prior to the war each division and army had an Engr Bn. After the war the expansion was so rapid he had no idea of the total of engineer units within the North Korean Armed Forces.

AES - 1 Automobile (truck) electric station

AES - 3

PS - 15 Mobile power station (electric)

Grader towed - type unknown - 1 each

Pile driver - powered - type unknown - 5 each

Mine detector - VIM 23

Blasting machine #1

Blasting machine #2

Electric lighting

Hand lanterns

Flashlight

Explosives

Barbed wire

Shovels

Crowbars

Saws

Blacksmith sets

Carpenter sets

Locksmith set

Light pneumatic boat

Pneumatic boat A-3

Flotation suit

Folding Ponton NLP - 1 each

Metal boat N 2 P - 1 each

Axes

Wire cutters

Anti-tank mines TM-41

Anti-personnel mines PMD 6, PMD 7, PMD 7 to, POMZ-2.

ENGR UNITS ATTACHED TO ARMY GROUPS