Agreement to exchange displaced civilians, but hopes dashed
North sent only 19 foreigners
P.2, Chosun Daily, Mar. 3, 1954

【Our correspondent, Mun Jae-an, from Panmun-jeom】
The exchange of displaced civilians took place on March 1 as scheduled. The abductees' families were hopeful, but of 80,000 abductees, not one came back. Only 19 foreigners, mainly Turks, returned.
The exchange of displaced civilians, carried out under Article 59 of the Armistice Agreement, had raised hopes that all 80,000 abductees might be able to return. But the North submitted a list of only 337 out of 80,000. However, despite North Korea's deception, the abductees' families did not lose hope and still believed that at least some would return. On March 1, their hopes were disappointed because no abductees came back. This was again another deceptive, evil act by the puppet government of the North. On March 1, 19 foreigners, mainly Turks, arrived in jeeps with North Korean soldiers and Chinese officers, 500m south of Panmun-jeom at 11:50 a.m., 509 minutes later than scheduled.
The adults were wearing black padded suits and black caps, and the children were in brown padded suits. They all looked healthy and happy. When they arrived at the place of exchange, some shouted, "We have arrived in the land of freedom!" Then they moved to temporary headquarters at Munsan military base in a UN military truck. There they received vaccinations and hot meals.