ATIS INTERROGATION REPORT NO 3206 7 February 1951
FIELD REPORT (164 - MISDI - 1432) 28 January 1951
| PW NAME: | CHIN, Ki Hyon (晋璣現)(진기현) (NKA) |
| RANK: | Jr. Lt |
| ORGN: | Ⅱ Corp, 31st Div (Code:576), 2nd Regt, Communications Co, 1st Plat |
| DUTIES: | Plat Ldr |
| EDUCATION: | 10 years |
| AGE: | 21 |
| OCCUPATION: | Electrician |
| ADDRESS: | HAMGYONG PUKTO, SONGJIN CITY, SANGPO-RI #46 (咸鏡北道 城津市 双浦里) |
| DATE & PLACE OF CAPTURE: | 211500 ⅠJan 51 at YONGWOL(DS 5414) |
| INTERROGATOR: | GWA |
| INTERROGATED AT: | HAYANG (DQ 8374) |
Cooperative. PW appeared to be in fair physical condition.
PW is fairly well educated. He talked freely and answered all questions asked of him promptly.
PW remembered clearly almost all things he had an opportunity to observe during his tour of duty in the NKA.
Information is considered reliable.
Ⅱ NK Corps: 2nd, 9th, 10th, 27th, and 31st Div
31st Rifle Div: 3 Regt Arty Btry (with no Arty pieces), Communications Bn, Recon Bn., Engr Bn, Med Bn, and Guard Bn.
2nd Rifle Regt: 3 Bn, Communications Co, Engr Co, Guard Co, Med Plat, and Recon Co.
Communications Co, 2nd Regt: 3 Plat (1st, 2nd Field Telephone Plat, and the 3rd Wireless Plat). Each Plat Composed of 3 Sqd with 7 men in each Telephone Sqd and 10 men in each Wireless Sqd.
1st Field Telephone Plat, Comm Co, 2nd Regt, 31st Div.
| Personnel | ORIGINAL (Nov 50) | PRESENT (21 Jan 51) |
| EM | 29 | 15 |
| Officers | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 15 |
| Equipment & Ammo | ||
| Field Telephone(used for testing only) | 1 | 1 |
| Field Telephone Wire | 6 km | 6 km |
| M1691/30 Rifle | 10 (70 rd each) | 10 (30 rd each) |
| Carbines US | 3 (40 rd each) | 3 (40 rd each) |
| M-1 Rifles US | 2 (80 rd each) | 2 (80 rd each) |
| Magnetic Compass | 1 | 1 |
| 3rd Wireless Plat, Comm Co, 2nd Regt, 31st Div: | ||
| Personnel | ||
| EM | 29 | 9 |
| Officers | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 30 | 10 |
| Equipment & Ammo | ||
| Wireless transmitter receivers (Soviet LBM Type) | 2 | 2 |
| PPSh SMG | 1 (140 rd each) | 1 (20 rd each) |
| M1891/30 Rifles | 6 (50 rd each) | 6 (50 rd each) |
| Handgrenades | 9 | 3 |
| Magnetic Compass | 1 | 1 |
| 31st Div: | ||
| Personnel | ||
| Approx 6,000 | Approx 3,000 | |
| Equipment & Ammo: | ||
| 31st Div has no vehicles or horses. Even the Div CG walks. | ||
| HMG | 9 | 9 (no ammo) |
| LMG | 9 | 9 |
| Wireless transmitter receivers | Unk number | Unk number |
Although 31st Div had approx 6,000 men in Nov 50, it lost approx 2,000 troops as a result of frequent attacks by UN aircraft. 18 Jan 51, Division lost an estimated 1,000 men at YONGWOL as a result of an attack by ROK troops.
Ammunition expended and equipment lost was a direct result of the ROKA attack.
18 Jan 51 31st Div suffered such heavy losses as a result of an attack by ROK Army units Div was forced to retreat hastily from YONGWOL, marching North through 9th NKA Div (which was covering the withdrawal of 31st NKA Div) to the mountains approx 12 km due north of YONGWOL. There, 31st NKA Div planned to regroup to “brace itself” against expected further UN attacks. Ⅱ NKA Corps was located in the same general area 12 km N of YONGWOL.
9th Div was located in the mountains approx 4 km North of YONGWOL as of 21 Jan 51. Its mission was to protect the 31st Div which was attempting to regroup. 9th Div did not “dig in”, however, as it did not want to show signs of activity to UN forces.
PW conscripted into the NKA 28 Jul 50 at P’YONGYANG (YD 3720). He was immediately assigned to the Telephone Communications Course at the P’YONGYANG Officer Candidate School. He received one month training in the operation, service, repair, and use of field telephones.
Upon graduated on 25 Aug 50, PW was commissioned as Jr Lt along with 30 other graduates. He was immediately assigned to an officer pool which had a total of 60 officers waiting assignment to units.
PW left P’YONGYANG during the night of 26 Aug 50 by truck with 59 other casual officers, and arrived SEOUL 28 Aug 50.
PW departed SEOUL 2 Sep 50, marched with 15 recruits, travelled over following route:
| DEPARTED | DATE | MODE OF TRAVEL | ARRIVED | DATE |
| SEOUL | 2 Sep 50 | Marched | SANGJU (DR 2529) | 13 Sep 50 |
| SANGJU | 13 Sep 50 | Marched | HYOPCH’ON (DQ 2435) | 24 Sep 50 |
At HYOPCH’ON, PW was supposed to turn the abovementioned recruits over to the Ⅰ North Korean Corps which he had been told was there. However upon arriving at HYOPCH’ON, he learned that the NKA was retreating to North Korea. He was unable to contact the Ⅰ NKA Corps, so, he decied to return with other NKA soldiers to North Korea. He and his men followed hundreds of fleeing soldiers through the SOBAEK-SAN and TAEBAEK-SAN mountain ranges, arriving in the mountains approx 27 km due East of KUMHWA (CT 6538) 1 Nov 50 where they learned that the Ⅱ Corps Hq was located. PW was ordered by the Officers’ Personnel Bureau of the Ⅱ Corp to join the Casual Section of the Ⅱ North Korean Corps. He was notified to join 31st Div which was at P’YONGYANG at the time. He did not join the Div immediately but learned that 31st Div was being reorganized and 15th Div was incorporated into 31st Div. 31st Div received no additional weapons or ammunition (other than that which remnants of the 15th Div possessed when the 15th Div was incorporated into the 31st Div), but approx 30% of the personnel were issued cotton-padded winter uniforms. PW does not know the source of these uniforms but they were rumored to have come from CHINA.
PW left the mountains 27 km East of KUMHWA on 15 Nov 50, marched (at night only) with the Ⅱ NKA Corps Hq and traveled via the following route:
| DEPARTED | DATE | MODE OF TRAVEL | ARRIVED | DATE |
| 27 km east of KUMHWA 15 | Nov 50 | Marched | HWACH’ON (CT 8617) | Nov 50 |
| HWACH’ON | Nov 50 | Marched | YANGGU (DT 1217) | Dec 50 |
| YANGGU | Dec 50 | Marched | HOKGCH’ON (DS0372) | Dec 50 |
| HONGCH’ON | Dec 50 | Marched | HOENGSONG (DS 1149) | Jan 51 |
| HOENGSONG | Jan 51 | Marched | PYONGCH’ANG (DS 4635) | Jan 51 |
| PYONGCH’ANG | Jan 51 | Marched | YONGWOL | 13 Jan 51 |
Upon arriving at YONGWOL. PW was assigned with three other Signal Officers (Jr Lt) to 31st Div which was also at YONGWOL 13 Jan 51.
18 Jan 51 31st Div was attacked by ROKA elements and the Ⅱ Corps Hq withdraw immediately 12 km north of YONGWOL to the mountains. It was followed immediately at 181930 ⅠJan 51 by 31st Div. Corps Hq and 31st Div marched N over mountain trails. Personnel marched single file at an interval of approx 2 meters between individuals. When the retreat began, PW and two EM deserted. They hid in YONGWOL until 21 Jan 51 when they surrendered to troops of the 5th Regt, 7th ROK DIv.
CH’OE, Hyon (崔賢), Gen (3 large stars), CG, Ⅱ NKA Corps.
LEE, Tong Ho (리동호), Maj Gen, CG, 31st NKA Div.
SONG, Chong Chun (송총준), Sr Col, CO, 2nd Regt, 31st Div.
SONG, Yong Sok (송용석), Jr Lt, Plat Ldr, 2nd Plat, Comm Co, 2nd Regt, 31st Div.
YUN, Tae Kyong (윤태경), Jr Lt, Plat Ldr, Unk Plat, Comm Co, 2nd Regt, 31st Div.
AN, Kan Sop (안간섭), Lt, Telephone Officer, Comm Co, 1st Regt, 31st Div.
Approx 80% of 31st Div personnel are untrained. Most of them were South Korean civilians conscripted into the NKA during its Sep 50 retreat.
Food for Ⅱ Corps Hq and for 31st Div consists largely of rice confiscated from farmers in villages through which these units passed.
31st Div has received no replacement of ammo since it was reorganized during the latter part of Nov 50. PW knows of no weapons or ammo expected to be received by the Div other than that which they might capture from UN forces.
2nd Regt of 31st Div has 9 field telephones and 2 LBE wireless transmitter-receivers. Two telephone lines are run to each of the Regt three Bn, one line to the Regt CO, and one line runs to the Regt Exec Off. One telephone is held in reserve. The abovementioned lines are connected at the 2nd Regt Communication Co by a switchboard.
Wireless communications are between the 2nd Regt and 31st Div, 2nd Regt and Ⅱ Corps, 2nd Regt and other two Regt in 31st Div.
PW does not believe that Ⅱ Corps units maintain any wireless communication with CCF units.
The 31st Div personnel have low morale for the following reasons:
a. Long overexposure to the cold.
b. Insufficient weapons and ammo.
c. Insufficient training.
d. Insufficient clothing.
e. Lack of medical facilities for wounded personnel.
f. Realization that the battle effectiveness of the division is low.
During Dec 50, PW saw three captured ROKA EM at HONGCH’ON. They were standing in the street guarded by several NKA soldiers. PW heard from Ⅱ NKA Corps officers that they would be given the choice of returning to their homes in South Korea or joining the NKA.
50% of 31st Div are suffering from frostbitten feet. 30% can hardly walk. Other than frostbite, illness is rare in the 31st Div.
Ⅱ Corps personnel received no immunizations during the time PW was in the corps (1 Nov 50 to 21 Jan 51).
a. Did you surrender voluntarily? If so, why?
a. PW surrendered voluntarily because life was miserable in the NKA and he decided to take a chance on the truth in a UN leaflet that he picked up in HONGCH’ON Dec 50.
b. Did you see any UN leaflets or hear UN loudspeaker broadcasts?
a. PW observed UN leaflets dropped over HONGCH’ON during Dec 50.
c. Can you describe what they said?
a. The leaflet promised humane treatment of all PW and medical attention for wounded PW.
d. What was your reaction to them?
a. PW was uncertain as to the truth in the UN leaflets, but he was so miserable in the NKA that he decided to try anything that promised a chance for a less miserable existence.
e. Did you hear other soldiers discuss leaflets of broadcasts?
a. No.
PW saw no CCF personnel.
31st Div has received no gas equipment or training. The Div has never undergone airborne or amphibious training.
For the AC S, G-2:
HONG
