Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission
Encyclopedia
The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) was established by the Korean Armistice Agreement signed July 27, 1953, ending the Korean War
. It is, with the Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC
), part of the mechanism regulating the relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK, North Korea) and the Republic of Korea
(ROK, South Korea).
According to the Armistice, the NNSC shall be composed of four senior officers, two of whom shall be appointed by neutral nations
nominated by the United Nations Command
(UNC) and two of whom shall be appointed by neutral nations nominated jointly by the Korean People's Army
(KPA) and the Chinese People's Volunteers
(CPV). The term "neutral nations" was defined as those nations whose combat forces did not participate in the hostilities in Korea. The United Nations Command chose Sweden
and Switzerland
, while the Korean People's Army and Chinese People's Volunteers chose the People's Republic of Poland
and Czechoslovakia
.
On August 1, 1953, the first Swiss NNSC delegation, consisting of 96 members, arrived in Panmunjeom
. The first force reduction took place in 1955, when the delegation was reduced to 41 members. In the following years, the delegation was successively reduced. Since 1982, there are six Swiss members in Panmunjom and until August 1987, exactly 700 Swiss soldiers have worked for the NNSC in Korea. The mission of the NNSC is defined in article 41 of the Armistice and reads as follows: "The mission of the NNSC shall be to carry out the function of supervision, observation, inspection, and investigation and to report the results of such supervision, observation, inspection and investigation to the Military Armistice Commission."
(JSA) are the offices and conference room for the NNSC. North Korea forced out the Czech component early in 1993 and the Polish component early in 1995, both shortly after those countries underwent democratization
following the dissolution of the Soviet Union
and the dissolution of the Eastern bloc
.
The NNSC members are assisted by administrative personnel from their own countries. Camps for the Swedish and Swiss members and their staffs are located in the southern half of the Korean Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ) adjacent to the JSA. The former Polish and Czech camps which were located nearby on the north Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line
, have been taken over by the KPA and are now used for other purposes.
and security in the Joint Security Area (JSA) also falls within the framework of these activities and are the prerequisites for the accomplishment of these tasks.
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. It is, with the Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC
UNCMAC
UNCMAC refers to the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, established in July 1953 at the end of the Korean War to supervise the Korean Armistice Agreement, and which has been operating ever since.-History:...
), part of the mechanism regulating the relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
(DPRK, North Korea) and the Republic of Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
(ROK, South Korea).
According to the Armistice, the NNSC shall be composed of four senior officers, two of whom shall be appointed by neutral nations
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
nominated by the United Nations Command
United Nations Command (Korea)
The United Nations Command is the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting the Republic of Korea during and after the Korean War...
(UNC) and two of whom shall be appointed by neutral nations nominated jointly by the Korean People's Army
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
(KPA) and the Chinese People's Volunteers
People's Volunteer Army
The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was the armed forces deployed by the People's Republic of China during the Korean War. Although all units in the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army belonged to the People's Liberation Army , the People's Volunteer Army was separately constituted in order to...
(CPV). The term "neutral nations" was defined as those nations whose combat forces did not participate in the hostilities in Korea. The United Nations Command chose Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, while the Korean People's Army and Chinese People's Volunteers chose the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
On August 1, 1953, the first Swiss NNSC delegation, consisting of 96 members, arrived in Panmunjeom
Panmunjeom
Panmunjom, located in Gyeonggi Province, is a village on the de facto border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War was signed. The building where the armistice was signed still stands, though it is on the northern side of the Military...
. The first force reduction took place in 1955, when the delegation was reduced to 41 members. In the following years, the delegation was successively reduced. Since 1982, there are six Swiss members in Panmunjom and until August 1987, exactly 700 Swiss soldiers have worked for the NNSC in Korea. The mission of the NNSC is defined in article 41 of the Armistice and reads as follows: "The mission of the NNSC shall be to carry out the function of supervision, observation, inspection, and investigation and to report the results of such supervision, observation, inspection and investigation to the Military Armistice Commission."
Overview
From June 1956 to the year of 1993, the NNSC ceased their controls but solely forwarded the war parties' reports on entering and leaving military persons to the UNCMAC. The strengths of the delegations from Poland, Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Switzerland were reduced gradually: On June 9, 1956 to 14 members each, in 1960 to nine members each, and in 1978 to six members each. Residing inside the Joint Security AreaJoint Security Area
The Joint Security Area is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. It is often called the "Truce Village" in both the media and various military accounts...
(JSA) are the offices and conference room for the NNSC. North Korea forced out the Czech component early in 1993 and the Polish component early in 1995, both shortly after those countries underwent democratization
Democratization
Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic...
following the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
and the dissolution of the Eastern bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
.
The NNSC members are assisted by administrative personnel from their own countries. Camps for the Swedish and Swiss members and their staffs are located in the southern half of the Korean Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
(DMZ) adjacent to the JSA. The former Polish and Czech camps which were located nearby on the north Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line
Military Demarcation Line (Korea)
The Military Demarcation Line , sometimes referred to as the Armistice Line, is the land border or demarcation line between North Korea and South Korea. On either side of the line is the Korean Demilitarized Zone...
, have been taken over by the KPA and are now used for other purposes.
Post-2008 status
Since 2008 the main role of the NNSC is to maintain and to build relations with both sides and maintain channel of communications open between them. Five Swiss representatives and five Swedish representatives are stationed in Panmunjeom, South Korea, on duty for the NNSC. Presently, their main task is to show presence at the inner Korean border and thus demonstrate that the ceasefire is still in force. Occasionally Polish delegates attend the meetings at Panmunjom, but through South Korea, as Poland has changed sides politically. The promotion of détenteDétente
Détente is the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation. The term is often used in reference to the general easing of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1970s, a thawing at a period roughly in the middle of the Cold War...
and security in the Joint Security Area (JSA) also falls within the framework of these activities and are the prerequisites for the accomplishment of these tasks.
External links
- Peace Support - Mission in Korea (NNSC) information about the Swiss participation to the NNSC mission in Korea.
- Feature story (in German) and photos about the Swiss NNSC mission in Korea.
- Sweden's participation in the NNSC