Military Demarcation Line in Korean War Armistice Talks: Pseudo-Negotiations between Strident Antagonists

摘要

For the Korean War Armistice Talks, as in any war, the establishment of the military demarcation line was one of the major points of contention between the UN and Communist forces. Furthermore, the lack of a maritime demarcation line was a distinct marker in the case of the Korean War. As most international negotiations do not include detailed information beyond the official transcripts, external indicators and indirect measures must be considered for a more complete analysis. While this inferred approach cannot replace a direct systematic study of the negotiation process, it can still produce some enlightening explanations. In particular, based on negotiation theory, the current research will focus on the causes and processes that led to the rejection of the UN forces' request to shift the land demarcation line further north in return for lifting their naval blockade of the North Korean sea areas, and the settlement of the maritime demarcation line as it is today. Thus, the processes, agenda setting, and conclusions of the negotiations are examined, along with the policy of the United States for ending the Korean War.