1950년대 군사정전위원회의 활동과 정전체제의 형성*― 한강하구 항행(航行) 규칙 제정을 중심으로 ―

Abstract

This article analyzes the Military Armistice Commission's (MAC) enactment of the Han River Estuary Navigation Rules immediately after the armistice to examine the military's implementation of the armistice and the creation of boundaries. The MAC established navigation rules for civilian vessels in the Han River Estuary to fulfill Article 1, paragraph 5 of the Armistice Agreement. This article examines the process and issues that led to the agreement between the UN and North and South Korean sides, from differences in perceptions and views to consensus. It is the first study to comprehensively utilize the minutes of the plenary sessions, secretaries' meetings, and staff officers' meetings of the Military Armistice Commission. The demarcation of the Military Armistice Commission was not just about implementing the armistice, but also about how to take into account, reflect, and institutionalize long-standing Korean customs. The “Rules” enacted by the military junta in the immediate aftermath of the armistice stemmed from the implementation of Article 5 of the armistice, but they also sought to codify a way to manage the armistice while recognizing the long-standing custom of navigating the Han River Estuary. The “neutral waters,” which could be used by both North and South Korean civilian ships, were the product of a tension and compromise between custom and armistice.