MICRO-BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN NORTH KOREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A008400250009-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2008
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: November 15, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/01/30: CIA-RDP80-00810A008400250009-6
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
a. Central Biological Research Laboratory (CBRL)
This Laboratory Is presently situated in Sinud.ju (P'yongan-pukto), but,
there are plans to move the laboratory to P'yongyang sometime In 1957.
The CBRL:Is directly under the control of the Ministry of Health, and.
is staffed entirely by civilian personnel, of which there are approx.:.-
mately 200. Work at this installation is confined. entirely to research
on vac(`.~ne?e and innoculations for cholera, typhus, tetanus, smallpox,
and typhoid. An::.r7.a.l.s used..for experimental purposes include cows, m..,.,;e
and. rats, but as yet there has been no experimentation. on humans. As
of March ..i.955 the following personnel were employed. at the CARL:
1. The Ministry of Health and, the North Korean Army have sole administrative
responsibility for the Implementation of biological research programs in
North Korea. These are carried out through two micro-biological research
laboratories, as follows:
(1) Name: (33'ylila-n
Position: Director
(2) Name: FJ.M Nak:--kyongl (6855/5507/6975), Civilian
Micro-ba.o.logi.ca? Research in
North Korea
REPORTI
DATE DISTR. ACS November. .1.95`)
NO. OF PAGES 3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
This is UNEVALUATED Information
os-_ ion: Chief, Toxin Section
(3) Nacre: AN S,un,-yongl (1344/73.1..1/5391), Civilian
STATE
osition: Chief, Tuberculosis Section
ARMY
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C. 0..N-.F-I-.D-E-N-T-I-A-L
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b. Central Preventive Medical Military Unit (CP
This installation which is affiliated with and controlled by the Medial
Affairs Bureau, Rear General Bureau, Ministry of National Defense, is
in P'yongyana and employs approximately 100 persons. The unit is primarily
concerned with research In the perfecting of vaccines2 already in use
and in research on new immunization procedures, including vaccines for
the prevention of cholera, typhus, tetanus, smallpox, typhoid, rabies,
and tubercular skin vaccines. The CPMMU and the CBRL have been supply-
ing vaccines to .m.:ilinary personnel and civilians in North Korea since
1954. Prior to 1954 Soviet vaccines had been used almost exclusively.
The following military personnel were assigned to this medical unit:
25X1
2. Soviet medical standards obtain and Soviet-trained individuals act as con-
sultants to the CPRL and the CPMMU, and. ixtrtll.1953 Soviet advisors were
present at these installations. One USSR scientific institution, the Lenin-
grad Immunization or Preventive Medical College, at that time provided a
full professor to the CBRL And CPMMU as a consultant and advisor.
3. The Central Preventive Disease Laboratory and the Sanitation Inspection OffiA
are associated. with m.:icro-b:ioa.ogical research in North Korea. Both facilities
are controlled by the Ministry of Health.
These individuals are prominent members of the Korean Labor Party, and have
won commendations for revealing "germ warfare agents and materials used by
the United States during the Korean War". HONG Sun-ok has been involved
in research on sa'r ell.a, a bacteriological parasite which attacks the
intestines of animals and of humans.
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2. The quality of both the products and of the training in micro-biological
research in North Korea is considerably below U.S. standards. Immuni-
zation media prepared in North Korea are vastly inferior both in quality
and in quantity to the same products manufactured. in the United States
but it should be noted that vast strides have been made in this field
within the past two years in North Korea.
3. x3M recently transferred. to the 11th Essential Hospital, KPA,
4. L Comment. FBIS, 19 October 1953, reported. a YANG Chin-bong as
president of Pyongyang Med=.cal College.
C-O_N.-F-i-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
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