Peace Talks at Panmunjom
October 25th, 1951 - July 27th, 1953
Though peace talks began in Kaesong in July 1951, the negotiations were halted before being moved to Panmunjom. On October 25th, 1951, the peace talks reopened in Panmunjom. Negotiations all took place in the Joint Security Area (JSA). The parties active in the armistice negotiations included the Korean People’s Army working in conjunction with the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army and the United Nations Command. Prior to the negotiation’s move to Panmunjom, there were five items agreed upon on the agenda. The first was the agenda itself.
The second item was agreeing upon and finalizing the military demarcation line and demilitarized zone. On November 27th, 1951, the two sides conceded on an MDL and its terms under circumstances of an armistice.
The third agenda piece was how the armistice would be maintained. Both the U.N.C. and the Korean People’s Army wished for equal representation through a MAC (Military Armistice Commission). However, they disagreed on the extent of the influence they should exert in Korea. The U.N.C. thought that the Military Armistice Commission should be able to enforce the Armistice in Korea while the Korean People’s Army thought that the MAC’s enforcement should be limited to the demilitarized zone.
The fourth item discussed was the most complex agenda item negotiated, the arrangements pertaining to prisoners of war. Initially, both sides presumed that all prisoners would be returned after the signing of the armistice. Negotiations became complicated when South Korean KPA recruits wished to return to South Korea and Chinese soldiers of the People’s Republic of China wished to flee communism in Taiwan. Only 70,000 of the 170,000 prisoners requested to be returned to their homeland. Due to the low numbers of prisoners desiring repatriation, the KPA and CPVA refused the U.N.C.’s proposal of voluntary repatriation. After nearly 18 months of negotiations, the parties agreed to allow governments the chance to persuade their citizens to return to their homelands.
The fifth item on the agenda was concerning the government systems of Korea subsequent to the armistice signing. In February 1952, the parties agreed to gather three months after the signing to discuss "the withdrawal of foreign forces from Korea, the peaceful settlement of the Korean question, etc."
The Armistice was finally signed in 1953 on July 27th. The peace talks at Panmunjom brought an end to the Korean War and set guidelines for foreign relations in Korea.
The second item was agreeing upon and finalizing the military demarcation line and demilitarized zone. On November 27th, 1951, the two sides conceded on an MDL and its terms under circumstances of an armistice.
The third agenda piece was how the armistice would be maintained. Both the U.N.C. and the Korean People’s Army wished for equal representation through a MAC (Military Armistice Commission). However, they disagreed on the extent of the influence they should exert in Korea. The U.N.C. thought that the Military Armistice Commission should be able to enforce the Armistice in Korea while the Korean People’s Army thought that the MAC’s enforcement should be limited to the demilitarized zone.
The fourth item discussed was the most complex agenda item negotiated, the arrangements pertaining to prisoners of war. Initially, both sides presumed that all prisoners would be returned after the signing of the armistice. Negotiations became complicated when South Korean KPA recruits wished to return to South Korea and Chinese soldiers of the People’s Republic of China wished to flee communism in Taiwan. Only 70,000 of the 170,000 prisoners requested to be returned to their homeland. Due to the low numbers of prisoners desiring repatriation, the KPA and CPVA refused the U.N.C.’s proposal of voluntary repatriation. After nearly 18 months of negotiations, the parties agreed to allow governments the chance to persuade their citizens to return to their homelands.
The fifth item on the agenda was concerning the government systems of Korea subsequent to the armistice signing. In February 1952, the parties agreed to gather three months after the signing to discuss "the withdrawal of foreign forces from Korea, the peaceful settlement of the Korean question, etc."
The Armistice was finally signed in 1953 on July 27th. The peace talks at Panmunjom brought an end to the Korean War and set guidelines for foreign relations in Korea.