The 2000 Report to Congress
Military Situation on the Korean Peninsula.
September 12, 2000
THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMAND (UNC) IN KOREA
1. The role of the UNC is to uphold the terms of the Korean War Armistice Agreement until South and North Korea reach a permanent peace settlement.
In the event of renewed hostilities in Korea, the UNC�s role is to coordinate the military efforts of the ROK, the US, and other UNC member nations to
resist the attack.
2. On July 7, 1950, United Nations Security Council (Resolution 84) determined that the North Korean armed attack upon the Republic of Korea (ROK)
constituted a breach of the peace and recommended UN member states make military forces and other assistance available to a "unified command" -- the
UNC -- under the United States, to repel the North Korean armed aggression and restore international security in the region. The US, ROK and 15 other
UN member states provided military forces to the UNC.
Five other nations provided medical support.
3. The Commander-in-Chief, UNC (CINCUNC), signed the 27 July 27, 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement to stop the Korean conflict, on behalf of 16 UNC
member states and the ROK. The Korean Armistice Agreement, which is purely military in character, pertains solely to the belligerents in the Korean
conflict.
The objective of the Armistice Agreement is to ensure a complete cessation of hostilities in Korea by all armed forces until a final peace settlement
is achieved.
4. Under the provisions of the Armistice Agreement, the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) was established to enforce the terms of the Agreement.
However, since North Korea and China abandoned the MAC in the early 1990s, the UNC has had to rely on an improvised general officer level dialogue
with the Korean People�s Army (KPA) to discuss Armistice related issues.
There have been 11 General Officer level meetings held since 1998.
5. The Korean Peoples Army (KPA) is determined to undermine the MAC and UNC structure. Nevertheless the UNC continues to carry out its functions and
fulfill its obligations under the mandate of the Armistice Agreement. For the past 47 years, the UNC has been a vital factor in preventing the
resumption of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula.
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