2023 Joint Statement by Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission Member States

Representatives of Poland, Sweden and Switzerland, Member States of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) in Korea, met in Warsaw on 20 June 2023 for their annual consultations. Discussions focused on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and its impact on the activities of the NNSC. The representatives also evaluated the operational tasks of the NNSC and reaffirmed their long-term commitment to a permanent peace solution on the Korean Peninsula. 

The NNSC was established 70 years ago through the Korean Armistice Agreement of 27 July 1953, which is still the only legally binding instrument for the avoidance of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula. As we mark this important anniversary, it is worth recognizing the crucial role of the NNSC in maintaining the military armistice as well as in promoting transparency and in building confidence on both sides of the military demarcation line.

In the course of political consultations, current developments on the Korean Peninsula were discussed in detail. The period since the last consultations, held in May 2022, has been characterized by growing tensions in the region. Focus areas included the nuclear and ballistic missiles programmes of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In addition, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine contributes to an increasingly fragile global geopolitical situation. Other challenges, including those related to the protracted Covid-19 pandemic, have further negatively affected the scope for dialogue and communication. NNSC Member States underscored the need for all parties to continue to abstain from actions that risk further increasing tensions in the region, and to undertake concrete measures to build confidence and trust on the Peninsula.

NNSC Member States expressed their continued support to all efforts aimed at achieving a negotiated and sustainable solution on the Peninsula that addresses concerns of all involved actors. They discussed the perspectives for initiatives for reinstating dialogue among the involved parties. They collectively reaffirmed that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be achieved and reiterated that the only way to bring about lasting stability in the region is by establishing a permanent peace arrangement on the peninsula.