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Making Neutrality Credibly Work: The NNSC on the Korean Peninsula

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Abstract

Neutrality is intended to guarantee national security, promote peace, and maximize national interest. The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) was established in 1953 after the Korean War and was intended to maintain armistice and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. The NNSC contributed to making the Peninsula more stable. The neutral powers of Switzerland and Sweden, two members designated by one side of the two opposing sides, however, became much weaker over time due to the one-sided structure and its lack of independence from the United Nations Command (UNC). In particular, five preconditions to make neutrality credibly work rarely existed. This examination generates crucial conclusions in terms of the inherent purposes of neutrality, its sustainability, and policy options taken for future consideration. This finding can also be applicable to other neutral states or neutrality-seeking candidates.

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Notes

  1. For all contents of the law of neutrality made by the 1907 Hague Conventions, see [40].

  2. Joseon Korea refers to the 1392–1897 Korean dynasty and 1897–1910 the Korean Empire.

  3. Indian Prime Minister said that “Indian neutrality is not passive but dynamic.” (see [15]).

  4. The autonomy-security trade-off model shows that a strong actor provides a weak actor with a security guarantee and, in return, enjoys autonomy in terms of the policy or political decisions (see [1, 3]).

  5. UNSCR 84 recommends the establishment of a unified command under the USA. Then, the USA has named this unit the UNC. For an original document of UNSCR 84, see [35].

  6. The Korean Armistice Agreement was aimed at “establishing an armistice which will ensure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved.” (see [33]).

  7. On May 31, 1956, the UNC first asked the NNSC fixed-inspection teams to leave the Korean Peninsula because the Communists were not compliant with their obligation not to rearm. Thus, all remaining NNSC personnel were stationed on the NNSC camp at the JSA (see [37, pp., 56]).

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Ban, K.J. Making Neutrality Credibly Work: The NNSC on the Korean Peninsula. East Asia 37, 349–368 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-020-09342-x

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