Philippines and Thailand). Meetings of MAC are held at the request of either side in the Joint Security Area (JSA), commonly known as "Panmunjom", in the demilitarized zone (DMZ). To assist MAC in fulfilling its functions, the Armistice Agreement provides for a joint secretariat which maintains 24-hour telephone communication between the joint duty officers of each side located at Panmunjom- The joint duty officers also meet daily except Sundays and holidays and serve as the basic channel of communications between the two opposing sides. There have been 426 plenary sessions of the Commission and 474 of the MAC Secretaries since the Armistice Aqreement was signed. MAC, or the Senior Member of either siae, is authorized by paragraph 27 of the Armistice Agreement to dispatch joint observer teams to investigate reported violations of the Armistice Agreement that occur within DMZ. KPA/CPV, however, has frustrated this function of the Commission since April 1967 by refusing to participate in joint investigations proposed by UNC. During the reporting period alone, the KPA/CPV side failed to participate in 10 joint observer team meetings proposed by UNC to conduct joint investigations Of incidents reported to have occurred in DMZ. (b) Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) NNSC. established by the Korean Armistice Agreement, is composed of four deleqations representing Sweden, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Poland. The Commission's primary function is to conduct independent inspections and investiqations of Armistice-related developments and violations outside DMZ and t0 report its findings to MAC. Although its principal functions of inspections and investigations have been drastically curtailed, owing to KPA/CPV obstructionism. NNSC does provide a worthwhile and stabilizinq influence as well as a means for indirect communications between the two opposing sides to MAC. NNSC holds weekly meetinqs in JSA, Panmunjom. (Cl Role of the Republic of Korea 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the mechanisms and functions of the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) and the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) in the context of the Korean Armistice Agreement. The focus is on the diplomatic and administrative aspects of the agreement, rather than on specific economic, social, or environmental issues.

**Category**
International relations, Politics