committee consisting of the representatives of Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Turkey, with headquarters at Seoul. The 7nation commission itself continues in being and may be reconvened any time circumstances make this necessary.

The task of UNKRA has been the administration of the U.N. programs of emergency relief and economic assistance to the Republic of Korea. Under the emergency relief program-carried on principally during the war-food, clothing, and other relief supplies to a total value of $474.4 million were made available by 30 countries, various nongovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies. The program of economic assistance to which contributions totaling $140.8 million were made by 34 countries, mainly for reconstruction purposes, was substantially completed in 1958. It represented a successful collective effort which has furnished important and valuable help to the Republic of Korea and its people in restoring their war-wrecked economy.

In its report of August 21, 1958, UNKRA noted that the funds. available to the Agency were far less than needed to meet the total requirement of the Korean economy for assistance in the period following 1950 and that the bulk of this requirement had been met through the bilateral aid program of the U.S. Government, amounting to more than $1.3 billion since 1953. The Agency pointed out that the existence of the U.S. aid program had permitted a far greater concentration of UNKRA funds on the construction of permanent productive and social facilities than would otherwise have been possible.

COMMUNIST VIOLATIONS OF THE ARMISTICE AGREEMENT

The task of supervising compliance with the Armistice Agreement, undertaken by the Military Armistice Commission in which the Communist side and the U.N. Command were both represented, was not directly related to the problem of Korean unification. Nevertheless this task provided an opportunity to the Communists to demonstrate good faith in carrying out the agreement and thereby to improve the prospects for the eventual negotiation of a political settlement in Korea. Their actual performance, however, showed an almost utter disregard for the obligations they had assumed under the agreement.

A concept basic to the establishment and maintenance of the Armistice in Korea was that the balance which existed between the military forces of the opposing sides on July 27, 1953, would not be altered through the introduction of reinforcing personnel or combat materiel by either side. Provisions for implementing this basic concept were contained in paragraph 13 of the agreement. They provided for peri

odic reports on movements of personnel and combat materiel and for supervision and inspection at designated ports of entry by a Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission of 4 members, assisted by 20 inspection teams.

Shortly after the signing of the agreement it became apparent to the U.N. Command that the north Korean and Communist Chinese armed forces were resorting to every possible subterfuge to avoid compliance with this portion of the agreement. Detailed evidence of Communist violations during the first 2 years of the agreement was cited by the U.N. Command representative on the Military Armistice Commission on July 5, 1955. They included such actions as palpably false and incomplete reporting of movements of personnel and combat materiel; the bypassing of designated ports of entry in carrying out such movements; and the failure to permit effective observation and inspection. Of major concern to the U.N. Command was the illegal introduction, in violation of the agreement, of several hundred combat aircraft, evidence of which was obtained by radar detection and from defecting Communist airmen.

Further evidence of Communist bad faith was provided by the Polish and Czech members of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, who, by regularly voting together against the Swiss and Swedish members, prevented Commission decisions, and by other actions designed to frustrate its inspection and control work, effectively prevented the Commission from carrying out its assigned functions. The Communist side also failed to give a satisfactory accounting for U.N. Command prisoners of war as required by the Armistice Agreement.

SUSPENSION OF OPERATIONS OF NEUTRAL NATIONS SUPERVISORY COMMISSION

Despite repeated protests by the U.N. Command over the continued violations of the provisions of the Armistice Agreement regulating the introduction of combat materiel and equipment, the Communist side continued to augment the strength of their military forces, particularly with respect to combat aircraft of which between 400 and 500 were maintained in north Korea by May 1956 as against none in that area when the Armistice Agreement was signed. They also continued, through the complete support of the Czech and Polish members of the NNSC, to keep that body impotent to detect and disclose their illegal introductions of military materiel and equipment.

Under the circumstances the U.N. Command decided on May 31, 1956, to suspend provisionally, during the time that the Communist

566379- -60

4

35

side continued in default of its obligations, the performance on its part of those provisions of the Armistice Agreement governing the operations in the Republic of Korea of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission and its inspection teams. In communicating this decision to the NNSC and to the Communist side in the Military Armistice Commission the U.N. Command representative emphasized this provisional suspension was "of no effect whatever on the continued full adherence" of the U.N. Command "to all other paragraphs of the Armistice Agreement." He went on to state that the Command would "continue to report as honestly and fully to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission . . . as it has in the past.” As the result of this decision the inspection activities of the NNSC terminated in June 1956 and its teams were withdrawn to the demilitarized

zone.

ACTION BY U.N. COMMAND TO MAINTAIN MILITARY BALANCE

The continued illegal introduction into north Korea of military supplies and equipment created a grave problem for the U.N. Command in maintaining its military strength relative to that of the Communist forces. On June 21, 1957, the U.N. Command reported to the U.N. Secretary-General that by the introduction of weapons of improved and different types and in increased quantities, the Communist side had increased its military materiel effectiveness and overall strength to a point where the relative military balance between the two sides had been upset. Specifically, it was reported that the Communists had illegally introduced large numbers of combat aircraft, principally jet fighters, and that they now maintained an air force of more than 700 planes based in north Korea. The introduction of large numbers of ground weapons into north Korea was also reported, including new and improved artillery and mortars.

Following discussion of this situation by the governments which contributed forces to repel the aggression in Korea, it was decided that the U.N. Command would take the measures it deemed necessary to restore the military balance which the Armistice was intended to preserve. Accordingly, on June 21, 1957, the U.N. Command announced to the Communist side in the Military Armistice Commission that in view of its gross violations of the Armistice provisions relative to the introduction of military materiel and equipment the U.N. Command considered that it was entitled to be relieved of its corresponding obligations until such time as the relative military balance had been restored. The announcement made clear that the U.N. Command intended, as it had in the past, to observe fully all provisions of the

Armistice Agreement except those covered in its present statement and in its statement of May 31, 1956, relative to the inspection functions of the NNSC.

EXCHANGES WITH THE COMMUNISTS ON THE UNIFICATION QUESTION 1958-59

In February 1958 a new exchange of statements and communications began between the Communist side and the representatives of the United Nations regarding the unification question. This exchange stemmed from a statement of February 5 by the north Korean regime advancing certain proposals for the reunification of Korea. These proposals were transmitted to the governments participating in the U.N. Command in Korea. The Communist Chinese endorsed them in a statement of February 7. The main proposals were two: that all foreign troops should be withdrawn from north and south Korea and that thereafter all-Korea elections should be held under the observation of a "neutral nations organization."

On February 22, 1958, the Communists announced that the so-called Chinese People's Volunteers would be withdrawn from north Korea by the end of 1958. The announcement linked this decision with the two previous statements issued concerning the question of Korean unification.

The 16 member states which contributed forces to the U.N. Command in Korea replied to these statements in a note delivered on April 9, 1958, to the Communist Chinese Government by the Chargé d'Affaires of the United Kingdom in Peiping. This note reaffirmed that the aim of the governments concerned was to see the establishment of a unified, independent, and democratic Korea, in accordance with relevant U.N. resolutions. It welcomed the announced intention of the Communist Chinese to withdraw their forces from north Korea and the professions of the two Communist regimes that they favored free elections in all of Korea.

The governments requested clarifications of the Communist views concerning the holding of free elections. Specifically, it was asked whether the north Korean authorities, in speaking of a "neutral nations organization" to observe the elections, accepted that such elections should be held under U.N. auspices and that there should be adequate supervision not only of the preliminaries but also of the elections themselves. They also inquired whether it was accepted that representation in a new National Assembly would be proportionate to the indigenous population in all parts of Korea.

In their reply of May 6, 1958, delivered in their own name and also in the name of the north Korean regime, the Communist Chinese authorities brushed aside the question of the principles on which elections should be held. They restated the position of the north Korean and Communist Chinese Governments that only the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea would provide the necessary condition for a peaceful settlement of the Korean question, including the matter of holding free elections.

Although disappointed by the Communist Chinese reply, which failed to show any serious intention of moving ahead on the question of Korean unification, the governments concerned addressed another communication to the Communist Chinese regime on July 2. In it they noted that the greater part of the forces sent to Korea in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations had already been withdrawn and again welcomed the announcement that the Communist Chinese troops were also to be withdrawn from north Korea. However, they expressed disappointment that the note of May 6 had not answered their questions concerning the principles on which elections should be held, which they considered lay at the heart of the matter. It was pointed out that further withdrawal of U.N. forces without any previous arrangement for a proper settlement of the Korean question would not be calculated to lead to a reduction of tension in the Far East and, indeed, that such action would remove one necessary guarantee which existed against further aggression in Korea.

The governments concerned emphasized that they wished to see a genuine settlement of the Korean question in accordance with U.N. resolutions and were willing at all times to further the consideration of measures designed to effect unification on this basis. They concluded by stating that the governments participating in the U.N. Command were prepared to withdraw their forces from Korea when the conditions for a lasting settlement laid down by the General Assembly had been fulfilled.

In their reply of November 10, 1958, the Communist Chinese authorities, after declaring that all "Chinese People's Volunteers" had now been withdrawn from Korea, again called for the withdrawal of U.N. troops from south Korea. Without further elaboration or clarification, they again stated that after withdrawal of all foreign forces allKorea free elections could be held under the supervision of a “neutral nations organization." The U.N. members concerned replied to this communication on December 5 by transmitting the General Assembly's resolution of November 14, 1958, which had been adopted by a vote of 54 to 9. This resolution urged the Communist authorities to accept the established U.N. objectives and principles for the unification of