Sweden was the first Western European country to establish diplomatic relations and an embassy in North Korea. Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission īecause 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. The first ship was laid down in July 1943, while the last was launched in August.

They were among the first ships to be able to receive casualties directly by helicopter and were the first fully air conditioned ships in the USN. Haven-class ships also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. 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. The Haven class of hospital ships was built for the United States Navy (USN) during World War II. A small advisory group from Sweden stayed in Korea to advise on medical practices (known as the 'Scandinavian training hospital') until Autumn 1958. Īfter the ceasefire in 1953, the Swedish hospital stayed comparatively unchanged as a civilian hospital until it was closed in April 1957. Ĭontaining 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. 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.

The Swedish Hospital arrived in Korea on September 23, 1950.

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

Korean war hospital ships