Meeting on Repatriation of Civilian Abductees
Joint Committee Met for First Time on the 11th
(Dec. 14, 1953, Cho-sun Daily, 1st page)

[Munsan- Dec. 13- AP by special agreement] On the 13th, the UN-Communist Joint Committee, which is to assist the return home of South Korea’s displaced civilians, held its first meeting in Panmun-jeom on the 11th, according to a UN forces announcement. The UN forces were represented by colonels Sion and Royce.
The committee was established by provisions of the Korean military armistice agreement to help displaced civilians and foreigners who wished to return to their respective side cross the military boundary between the two sides.
The UN forces announced that there would probably be agreement on Panmun-jeom being the place for the exchange and that it had to be finished within one day. Also, regardless of the location of the exchange, those with physical restrictions or illnesses and the elderly would be given priority and there was agreement at the committee that it was unacceptable that families were separated. It also was decided that reporters from both sides would be allowed access to cover the exchanges.