The Korean Odyssey

  * Panmunjom.  In the last 70 years, why has the armistice system not eventually transitioned into genuine peace?   @iStock Il Young Jeong Research Professor_Institute of Social Sciences_Sogang University July 27, 2023 marked a full 70 years since the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. While no one could have known it at the time, this armistice went on to become the longest sustained ceasefire in human history. Have we become too comfortable with the armistice system status quo? In the span of the last 70 years, why has the armistice system not eventually transitioned into genuine peace? To answer these questions, I will revisit the history of the ceasefire, identify potential lessons learned, and look for possible routes to not just suspend the war but truly end it.   70 Years That Nobody Saw Coming On July 27th, 1953, the Commander-in-Chief of United Nations Command (representing the South) and the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and the Commander of