North Korea ends war armistice

March 17, 2013

North Korea has confirmed the end of the 60-year-old armistice signed after the end of the Korean War, and warned of “merciless” military retaliation against its enemies. The North has annulled the 1953 armistice in protest over joint South Korea-US military manoeuvres.
The armistice was approved by the UN General Assembly, and both the United Nations and South Korea have repudiated the North’s unilateral withdrawal.
The North has also threatened to launch nuclear strikes against the United States and South Korea in response to fresh UN sanctions adopted after the North carried out its third nuclear test.

What armistice is being talked about here?
The Korean War, which was fought b/w the the Republic of Korea (South Korea), supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), supported by the People’s Republic of China, ended on 27 July 1953, when the armistice agreement was signed. The agreement restored the border between the Koreas near the 38th Parallel and created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 2.5-mile (4.0 km)-wide fortified buffer zone b/w the two Korean nations.

Outcome of Korean War:
North Korea which had invaded deep into the South was pushed back beyond the 38th parallel with the support of the UN army. At this stage People’s Republic of China joined the war from the side of North Korea which forced the Southern-allied forces to retreat behind the 38th Parallel. The Soviet Union didn’t play any direct role in the war but supplied material aid to both the North Korean and Chinese armies. The fighting ended on 27 July 1953, when the armistice agreement was signed. The agreement restored the border between the Koreas near the 38th Parallel and created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 2.5-mile (4.0 km)-wide fortified buffer zone between the two Korean nations.

The 38th parallel:
It has been considered as the border separating the North from the South Korea. It came into existence with the victory of Allied in WW II ending the Empire of Japan’s 35-year colonial rule of Korea. The United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship with the zone of control demarcated along the 38th parallel.

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