Panmunjomavtalet

Panmunjomavtalet, also known as the Korean War Armistice Agreement, was signed on July 27, 1953, at Panmunjom, a village on the border between North and South Korea. This agreement officially ended hostilities in the Korean War, which had begun on June 25, 1950. However, it was an armistice, not a peace treaty, meaning that the two Koreas remain technically at war.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the United Nations Command (represented by the United States), the Korean People's Army (North Korea), and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. The Republic of Korea (South Korea) did not sign the agreement, although it abided by its terms.

Key provisions of Panmunjomavtalet included the establishment of a Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea. The MDL generally follows the front lines at the time of the armistice, and the DMZ is a heavily fortified buffer zone approximately 250 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide. The agreement also called for the repatriation of prisoners of war and the establishment of a Military Armistice Commission (MAC) to supervise the implementation of the armistice.

The signing of Panmunjomavtalet brought an end to one of the deadliest conflicts of the Cold War, but the division of Korea and the underlying political tensions persist to this day. The DMZ remains one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world.