Peace Talks at Panmunjom
October 25th, 1951 - July 27th, 1953
The Korean peace talks were moved from Kaesong to Panmunjom on October 25, 1951. This relocation was decided in the terms of the Panmunjom Security Agreement, signed earlier on October 22. Participating in these talks were the Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, negotiating with the United Nations Command (U.N.C) headed by the U.S.
The Panmunjom peace talks were guided by a five-item agenda. Item one was the agenda itself, being agreed upon beforehand. The second item was the Military Demarcation Line and Demilitarized Zone. On November 27, 1951 both sides agreed upon a Military Demarcation Line along the line of contact at the current time. Although the line changed in a few small ways, it was largely the same when the Armistice was signed.
Next they had to work out the details of maintaining the Armistice. Though both sides wanted a Military Armistice Commission with equal representation from the U.N.C. and the Korean People’s Army, the U.N.C. wanted this commission to be able to enforce the Armistice throughout all of Korea. This was contrary the Korean People’s Army that wanted the Military Armistice Commission to only be able to enforce the Armistice in the demilitarized zone.
In the March of 1952 both sides agreed upon the establishment of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission or NNSC. This was an organization of nations neutral to the Korean War that were willing to oversee the maintaining of the Armistice. Among these nations were Poland, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Sweden. Each side was also allowed five ports to replace their broken down or old military equipment. However, there were two major areas of contention. The first being the U.N.C. demand for a ban on North Korean airfield repair; the second being the Korean People’s Army and Chinese People’s Volunteer Army demand for Soviet Union inclusion NNSC.
These issues would remain through most of the negotiations. On February 19, 1952 both sides resolved item five of the agenda, “Recommendations to the Governments Concerned on Each Side”. They agreed to hold a meeting three months after the signing of the Armistice to address a few major remaining issues. The largest hang up the conference met, halting any major progress for a year and a half, was item four, “Arrangements Relating to Prisoners of War.”
The original plan was to exchange all prisoners at the signing of the Armistice, but this did not work because of a large section of U.N.C. prisoners that didn’t wish to return to North Korea. Some of them were South Koreans that had been captured and force into service, who hoped to return to the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As well, a large number of Chinese soldiers preferred not return to China but instead move to Taiwan. The United States refused to force any citizens to repatriate against their will, while the Korean People’s Army and Chinese People’s Volunteer Army didn’t want to give up such a large number of prisoners. Both sides eventually agreed to the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, that allowed countries a limited time to attempt to convince their citizens to return. After a series of back and forth negotiations on specifics, the Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.
Opinion: The Panmunjom Peace talks not only made way for an Armistice ending gunfire between the two sides, it also established the guidelines for all future interactions between North and South Korea. The border determined during the conferences stands today, and nothing more than minor skirmishes have occurred between North and South Korea since the signing of the Armistice. By staying focused on ending the conflict and working diligently, this conference resolved major differences between the many nations involved. This allowed for each nation to have some of their requests met. Essentially, the Panmunjom Peace Talks ended the Korean War.
The Korean peace talks were moved from Kaesong to Panmunjom on October 25, 1951. This relocation was decided in the terms of the Panmunjom Security Agreement, signed earlier on October 22. Participating in these talks were the Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, negotiating with the United Nations Command (U.N.C) headed by the U.S.
The Panmunjom peace talks were guided by a five-item agenda. Item one was the agenda itself, being agreed upon beforehand. The second item was the Military Demarcation Line and Demilitarized Zone. On November 27, 1951 both sides agreed upon a Military Demarcation Line along the line of contact at the current time. Although the line changed in a few small ways, it was largely the same when the Armistice was signed.
Next they had to work out the details of maintaining the Armistice. Though both sides wanted a Military Armistice Commission with equal representation from the U.N.C. and the Korean People’s Army, the U.N.C. wanted this commission to be able to enforce the Armistice throughout all of Korea. This was contrary the Korean People’s Army that wanted the Military Armistice Commission to only be able to enforce the Armistice in the demilitarized zone.
In the March of 1952 both sides agreed upon the establishment of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission or NNSC. This was an organization of nations neutral to the Korean War that were willing to oversee the maintaining of the Armistice. Among these nations were Poland, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Sweden. Each side was also allowed five ports to replace their broken down or old military equipment. However, there were two major areas of contention. The first being the U.N.C. demand for a ban on North Korean airfield repair; the second being the Korean People’s Army and Chinese People’s Volunteer Army demand for Soviet Union inclusion NNSC.
These issues would remain through most of the negotiations. On February 19, 1952 both sides resolved item five of the agenda, “Recommendations to the Governments Concerned on Each Side”. They agreed to hold a meeting three months after the signing of the Armistice to address a few major remaining issues. The largest hang up the conference met, halting any major progress for a year and a half, was item four, “Arrangements Relating to Prisoners of War.”
The original plan was to exchange all prisoners at the signing of the Armistice, but this did not work because of a large section of U.N.C. prisoners that didn’t wish to return to North Korea. Some of them were South Koreans that had been captured and force into service, who hoped to return to the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As well, a large number of Chinese soldiers preferred not return to China but instead move to Taiwan. The United States refused to force any citizens to repatriate against their will, while the Korean People’s Army and Chinese People’s Volunteer Army didn’t want to give up such a large number of prisoners. Both sides eventually agreed to the Neutral Nations Repatriation Commission, that allowed countries a limited time to attempt to convince their citizens to return. After a series of back and forth negotiations on specifics, the Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953.
Opinion: The Panmunjom Peace talks not only made way for an Armistice ending gunfire between the two sides, it also established the guidelines for all future interactions between North and South Korea. The border determined during the conferences stands today, and nothing more than minor skirmishes have occurred between North and South Korea since the signing of the Armistice. By staying focused on ending the conflict and working diligently, this conference resolved major differences between the many nations involved. This allowed for each nation to have some of their requests met. Essentially, the Panmunjom Peace Talks ended the Korean War.