09-151.pdf

strengthened its war preparations by bringing in large quantities of
deadly weapons. At the 303rd meeting proposed by the KPA/CPV
convened on June 29, the North urged the withdrawal of American
troops and again accused the US of planning a new war. When the
305th meeting called by the KPA/CPV took place on September 8, the
North criticized the US for bringing in new combat equipment such as
fighter planes and by making continuous military provocations
maneuvering for war, including conducting joint South Korea-US
military exercises in March and from April 28 to May 1. Owing to the
presence of the American troops, re-unification had not been accomplished;
if the troops had been withdrawn, Korea would already have
re-unified (cf. pp. 105-106, 130-131).
At the 325th meeting called by the KPA/CPV held on December
11, 1971, the North blamed the South for holding military exercises
such as “The South Korea-US Eagle Landing Operation” and “The Win
War 71” conducted from November 7 to December 4. Along with the
declaration of a state of emergency, the former created a war atmosphere
but the South responded that the exercise was not an issue to
discuss in the MAC. In 1971, troop withdrawals were requested once
and one more accusation of war preparations was made. 208
Rearmaments were raised at three meetings held in 1972 and
war accusations were raised at two of them. At the 332nd meeting
requested by the KPA/CPV convened on September 7, the North
accused the US of preparing for war by signing “The Korea-US Defence
Agreement.” It urged the withdrawal of the American troops who as
208_ Hapch’am chôngbo ponbu, op. cit., 1999, pp. 274-5, 280, 289, 298; Kukpang
chôngbo ponbu, ibid., 1993, pp. 159, 160, 161, 162, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168,
169, 171.
North-South Dialogue and Tension during the 1970s
263