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Freedom House | The House of Peace | Panmungak of North Korea | Bridge of No Return The History of Panmunjeom 
The spot where the truce talks were held during the Korean War was originally located 1 km north of the present
place. At the time, it only consisted of four straw roofed houses, two temporary buildings used for meetings,
and three temporary barracks. The name of the place originated from the name of a small store (jeom)
located nearby.A total of 1,076 meetings were held during 2 years and 19 days before the Armistice Agreement was signed between U.N. forces, the North Korean Army, and the Chinese Army on July 27, 1953. Panmunjeom is located near the west end of the 155-mile truce line and represents the partition of Korea. This area is located 62 km northwest of Seoul and 215 km south of Pyeongyang. Officially called the 'Joint Security Area,' it is a special area outside administrative control of either South or North Korea.
Joint Security Area (JSA) 
Panmunjeom is only 800 meters in diameter. Designated as the Joint Security Area (JSA) between the U.N.
and North Korea, it is outside administrative control of South and North Korea. The U.N. and North Korea sides
each operate 6 guard posts and 35 security guards reside inside. Since the ax murder incident on August
18, 1976, by North Korean soldiers, security guards are forbidden to cross over to the opposing side's area.
Military Armistice Commission (MAC)The Military Armistice Commission (MAC) has held secretary's meetings, joint duty officer's meetings, and general meetings for observation of the Armistice Agreement since its signing. General meetings have been suspended since a Korean Army General was assigned as the Chief Representative of the UNC on March 25, 1998. 
Instead of the general meeting, Army General's Meetings have been held since then. Informal contacts have
been held between the UNC and the North Korean Panmunjeom mission since May 1994. Joint duty officer meetings
can be called by either side. The Military Demarcation Line (MDL) of the Joint Security Area runs through the
middle of Panmunjeom and even the meeting buildings. The line of microphone wires on the table of the
conference room traces the path of the MDL.
Freedom House 
The new Freedom House was constructed on July 9, 1998. It provides facilities for North-South contacts,
meetings and exchanges, and houses the Liaison Office with North and South Korea.The House of Peace 
The House of Peace is located 130 meters southwest of Freedom House. It was temporarily built for the meeting
of Prime Ministers of South and North Korea in June 1980, then newly constructed at the present place in
December 1989. In this House of Peace, non-military, civilian meetings between South and North Korea can
take place.Panmungak of North Korea Panmungak, located on the North Korean side of the JSA, was built in September 1969. The two-story building is 80 meters north of Freedom House and is used as a waiting room for North Korean representatives before a MAC conference. It also serves as an office for North Korea's security guards.
Bridge of No Return The Bridge of No Return runs astride the Military Demarcation Line. After the Armistice Agreement in 1953, prisoners of war from both sides were exchanged on this bridge. The name came from the fact that the prisoners of war who voluntarily chose to go to North Korea instead of staying in the South would be unable to return to South Korea.
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Register for a tour to Panmunjeom. Visit the historic spot on the DMZ where the Armistice talks were held and where ongoing negotiations take place between the North and South. |
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View pictures of the Korean War
(Places). See historic pictures of the Korean War donated by Life in Korea readers. |
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