Sweden in the Korean War

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Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital
SRCFH

Active| July 14, 1950 - April 10, 1957[1]
Disbanded| 1958
Country|  Sweden
Allegiance|  United Nations and International Red Cross
Type| Field Hospital
Size| 1,124 Swedish men and women over duration of conflict[2]
Part of| Swedish Red Cross

Military unit

Sweden took part in the Korean War by providing the Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital and participating in the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.

The Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital was the name given to the Swedish mission sent to Korea to deal with the humanitarian situation created by the Korean War, 1950-3. Following the temporary resolution of the war in 1953, Sweden was heavily involved in maintaining the armistice through its position in the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.

## Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital[edit]

The Swedish Field Hospital in Busan

Following the North Korean invasion of the South, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution asking all UN member states to support South Korea. The Swedish government responded on July 14, 1950 by authorizing the dispatch of a 200-bed mobile field hospital.[2] Shortly before his death, King Gustaf V announced that the Swedish state would cover the Hospital's expenses.[3]

The Swedish Hospital arrived in Korea on September 23, 1950.[2] Deciding that a 400-bed (stationary) Evacuation Hospital would be more valuable than a smaller but more mobile Field Hospital, the Swedish Hospital was converted and moved to the compound of the Commercial Middle School in Pusan where it remained until 1958.[2]

Containing 400 beds throughout much of the duration of the conflict, the hospital was expanded to 600 beds by the end of the war, staffed by 174 Swedish doctors and nurses at any one time, all belonging to the Swedish Red Cross.[2]

After the ceasefire in 1953, the Swedish hospital stayed comparatively unchanged as a civilian hospital until it was closed in April 1957. A small advisory group from Sweden stayed in Korea to advise on medical practices (known as the 'Scandinavian training hospital') until Autumn 1958.

Over the duration of the conflict 1,124 Swedish men and women served in the Swedish hospital and 19,100 United Nations personnel and 2,400 Korean personnel were treated by Swedish doctors.[2]

## Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission[edit]

Because of Sweden's reputation for neutrality during the major 20th century conflicts (First World, Second World and Korean Wars), Sweden was included as one of the four founding members of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission and several Swedish military personnel served in Korea enforcing the Panmunjom armistice.

## After the War[edit]

Sweden was the first Western European country to establish diplomatic relations and an embassy in North Korea.[4]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Thomas, Nigel; Abbott, Peter (1986). The Korean War 1950-53. Osprey Publishing. p. 24\. ISBN 978-0850456851.
2. ^ a b c d e f "Swedish Field Hospital For Korea". Korean-war.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
3. ^ "WHKMLA : Sweden's Contribution during the Korean War". Zum.de. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
4. ^ Johnson, Simon. "It never got paid for the Volvos, but could Sweden mediate with..." U.S. Retrieved 2018-05-06.

## External links[edit]

* Embassy of Sweden in Seoul, Sweden-Republic of Korea: 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations
* Medical assistance of Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital in Busan during and after the Korean war
* Contribution from three Scandinavian countries During 1950 - 1969, ksfn.or.kr

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Korean War

25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953

Background|

* Korea divided (1945–1949)
* Prelude to war (1950)

Belligerents|

| United Nations|

* Republic of Korea
* Australia
* Belgium and Luxembourg
* Canada
* Colombia
* Ethiopia
* France
* Greece
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Philippines
* Thailand
* Turkey
* South Africa
* United Kingdom
* United States
* Arkansas Army National Guard
* 65th Infantry Regiment (Puerto Rico)

|

Communist Bloc|

* Democratic People's Republic of Korea
* China
* Soviet Union

Medical (non-combat)
participants|

* Denmark
* India
* Italy
* Norway
* Sweden
* Hungary

Political leaders|

* rok
* Syngman Rhee
* Shin Song-mo
* usa
* Harry S. Truman
* Dwight D. Eisenhower
* uk
* Clement Attlee
* Winston Churchill
* ca
* Louis St. Laurent
* dprk
* Kim Il-sung
* Pak Hon-yong
* Kim Chaek
* prc
* Mao Zedong
* ussr
* Joseph Stalin
* Georgy Malenkov
* Lavrentiy Beria
* Vyacheslav Molotov

Military commanders|

* rok
* Kim Hong-il
* Kim Jong-oh
* Chung Il-kwon
* Paik Sun-yup
* usa
* Douglas MacArthur
* Matthew Ridgway
* Mark Wayne Clark
* dprk
* Choi Yong-kun
* prc
* Peng Dehuai
* Chen Geng
* Deng Hua

Order of battle|

* Korean People's Army
* Republic of Korea Armed Forces
* Australia
* China
* United Nations contingents
* United States Eighth Army
* United States Seventh Fleet
* Korean People's Air Force

Military operations

• North Korean,
Chinese and
Soviet forces
• South Korean, U.S.,
Commonwealth
and United Nations
forces

| North Korean offensive
(25 June – 15 September 1950)|

* Pokpoong
* Chuncheon
* 1st Seoul
* Gorangpo
* Kaesong–Munsan
* Korea Strait
* Ongjin
* Uijeongbu
* Suwon Airfield
* Air Campaign
* Andong
* Chumonchin Chan
* Osan
* Pyongtaek
* Chonan
* Chochiwon
* Taejon
* Sangju
* Yongdong
* Hwanggan
* Hadong
* Notch
* Pusan Perimeter
* Masan
* P'ohang-dong
* Taegu
* 1st Naktong Bulge
* Bowling Alley
* Battle Mountain
* Kyongju
* Haman
* Nam River
* Ka-san
* Tabu-dong
* Yongsan
* 2nd Naktong Bulge

|

United Nations Command
Counteroffensive
(15 September – 30 October 1950)|

* Haeju
* Inchon
* 2nd Seoul
* Hill 282
* Sariwon
* Pyongyang
* Yongju
* Kujin
* Chongju

Chinese Intervention
(25 October 1950 – January 1951)|

* Onjong
* Unsan
* Pakchon
* Ch'ongch'on River
* Wawon
* Chosin Reservoir
* Task Force Faith
* 3rd Seoul
* Uijeongbu
* Chaegunghyon
* 1st and 2nd Wonju

Combat around the 38th parallel
(January – June 1951)|

* Thunderbolt
* Roundup
* Twin Tunnels
* Hoengsong
* Chipyong-ni
* 3rd Wonju
* Chuam-ni
* Wonsan
* Killer
* Ripper (4th Seoul)
* Maehwa-san
* Courageous
* Tomahawk
* Rugged
* Dauntless
* Spring offensive
* Imjin River
* Yultong
* Kapyong
* Soyang River
* UN May–June 1951 counteroffensive

Air operations
(1950 – 1953)|

* MiG Alley
* Sunchon
* Strangle
* Sui-ho Dam
* Bombing of North Korea 1950-1953

Naval operations
(1950 – 1953)|

* Korea Strait
* Chumonchin Chan
* Haeju
* Inchon
* Blockade of Wonsan
* Han River

Stalemate
(July 1951 – 27 July 1953)|

* Bloody Ridge
* Minden
* Punchbowl
* Heartbreak Ridge
* Han River
* Commando
* 1st Maryang-san
* Haktang-ni
* Polecharge
* 2nd Maryang-san
* Sunchon
* Hill Eerie
* Sui-ho Dam
* Old Baldy
* Blaze
* White Horse
* Triangle Hill
* 1st Hook
* 2nd Hook
* Chatkol
* Outpost Vegas
* Pork Chop Hill
* 3rd Hook
* Outpost Harry
* Kumsong
* Samichon River
* Korean Armistice Agreement

Aftermath|

* Memorial Day
* Casualties
* War crimes
* Prisoners of war
* Armistice
* DMZ
* Korean DMZ Conflict
* Northern Limit Line
* Panmunjom Declaration

Popular culture|

* Documentary films
* Films
* Books
* Reenactment
* M*A*S*H
* Television series

Other|

* North Korea–South Korea relations
* Korean conflict
* Allegations of biological warfare
* American and British defectors
* Flying aces
* Impact on the economy of the United States
* MiG Alley
* Operation Blacklist Forty
* Operation Glory
* United Nations Memorial Cemetery
* Weapons

* See also:
* Korean War images
* Cold War

Portals:

* North Korea
* South Korea
* 1950s

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