The background and the inside story of the Armistice agreement
At June 24th, 1951, the Red army proposed the immediate holding of the conference for the armistice and the withdrawal of both parties from the Korean peninsula through Malik, the Soviet Union ambassador in U.N.As the armistice talks proposed by the U.N and the communists were about to be accepted, the Korean government clarified their situation referring to the armistice at June 30, and together with the demonstration of the governments position, the rally for reunification opposing to the armistice was held at Busan.
However, the preparations for the armistice talks were being advanced without considering the conditions of the Korean government. The conference was settled to take place at Gaeseong and by July 8, the preliminary talks were opened by the liaison officers of both parties. They agreed to open the 1st main talks at September 10th, and the official list of the representatives participating by both parties was presented.
The opening of the Armistice Talks.
In spite of the opposition of the Korean people, the armistice talks opened at Gaeseong at July 10, 1951 11:00 A.M. As the conference begun, the representatives of both parties exchanged their order of day. Clarifying that the U.N forces does not discuss political matters or economical problems in regard to the subject for discussion, they insisted that the armistice talks should be limited only to bring an end to the war. The armistice talks did not show any progress because of the North Korean stubbornness suggesting introducing formally the issue refusing the entrance and exit of U.N press association and the withdrawal issue of the foreign army. Finally at July 26th at the conference they agreed on the following 4 articles.
1. Agreement on military demarcation line of both parties in order to set up the demilitarized zone as the basic condition of suspending hostile actions
2. Agreement on the details for the enforcement of suspension of hostilities and armistice
3. Several arrangements concerning exchange of prisoners
4. Advise both South and North Korean government concerning the political settlement of the matters in Korea.
