Demand for Repatriation of Abductees Withdrawn
UN Concedes Another Two Clauses Again
Only Demands the Right to Choose
(Feb. 9, 1952, Dong-a Daily, 1st column of 1st page)

[Panmunjeom- Feb. 7- INS] The UN forces side formally withdrew its previous demand to exchange abducted South Koreans in the Communist areas with extra Communist POWs detained by UN forces. They withdrew the demand at staff officer-level discussions between UN and Communist forces.

[Tokyo- Feb. 8- UP / Korea] UN forces staff officers currently engaged in discussions on the issue of POW exchanges make clear that the UN forces do not intend to yield even a bit on their basic proposal about granting POWs the right to choose whether to be repatriated.

Note: Arising from this change in approach by the UN forces side, it withdrew its proposal to first exchange 11,559 Communist POWs it was holding for the 11,559 UN and South Korean POWs the Communist side was believed to be holding, and after that to also exchange the civilians abducted by the Communist forces with those from the remaining 121,000 POWs the UN forces were holding who wished to return home.