Running from June 9-13, 2025, Korea Peace Advocacy Week will consist of virtual and in-person lobby visits with Congressional Representatives, Senators, and staff to advocate for H.R.1841, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, which calls for serious, urgent diplomacy in pursuit of a binding peace agreement to formally end the Korean War. The bill — which currently has 39 co-sponsors, including bipartisan support — also calls for a review of the U.S. travel ban on North Korea, which prevents Korean Americans from visiting their families in North Korea and can impede the work of humanitarian aid groups.

This is an especially timely moment to support peace efforts, as tensions on the Korean Peninsula continue to run dangerously high with the United States and South Korea continuing to hold larger and more frequent joint war drills, which have proven to raise tensions in the region, and North Korea conducting increased missile tests. In the aftermath of Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal declaration of martial law, which included an alleged failed plot to provoke North Korea with drones, and his subsequent impeachment, there have been renewed calls for an end to the Korean War amidst the massive pro-democracy movement in South Korea. Moreover, a new public opinion poll shows that a majority of the U.S. supports diplomatic engagement with North Korea and China to reduce rising tensions and pursue peacebuilding efforts.

Although it is known in the U.S. as “the Forgotten War,” the Korean War never ended but was merely halted by an armistice in 1953, which was supposed to be temporary. This unresolved state of war is the root cause of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, has driven the extreme militarization of the Korean Peninsula, and has kept Korean families separated for decades. Furthermore, the U.S. approach of pressure and isolation has failed to improve the security crisis in Korea or the situation of human rights in North Korea. A peace-first approach would be a more realistic and effective method for improving the safety and well-being of Koreans and Americans.

“The election of South Korea’s  new president creates a historic opening for lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. But democracy cannot thrive under militarism and forever war. As U.S.-based peace activists, we must do our part to continue to build the political will for  a peace agreement to finally end the 75-year-old Korean War.” — Cathi Choi, Executive Director, Women Cross DMZ

“Advocacy Week is an important moment for supporters of a peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula to come together and speak with one voice to Congress. As we have seen in recent public opinion polling, a significant majority of the U.S. public supports engagement between the U.S. and DPRK on many issues. Advocacy Week is an opportunity for these polling statistics to come off the page and come to life through the stories and voices of constituents from across the country. At a moment when tensions are high and trust is low, we need to let our members of Congress know that we want to see courageous legislative action towards peace and diplomatic engagement.” — Austin Headrick, American Friends Service Committee

“The United Methodist Church stands in firm commitment with the Christians of Korea, both North and South, and around the world in faithful actions to work towards peace, healing, and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula. Especially as tensions continue to escalate, Korea Peace Advocacy Week is an opportunity for faith in action to advocate to Congress to pursue peace.” — Colleen Moore, Director of Peace With Justice at the General Board of Church and Society, the social justice agency of the United Methodist Church.

“Walking with the Korean people for over a century, Maryknoll missioners have felt first-hand the pain of war and separation on the Korean Peninsula. Demilitarization, reduction of nuclear risk, delivery of humanitarian aid, reuniting separated families – everything that constitutes just and enduring peace for all Koreans begins with negotiating a peace agreement to officially end the Korean War. The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns is so grateful to join our partners and Korea peace champions from around the United States in advocating for Congress to pursue peace now.” — Susan Gunn, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

“As Korean Americans, we carry the enduring legacy of a war that has divided families and nations for over seven decades. The Korean American Peace Fund proudly joins this year’s Korea Peace Advocacy Week to call for an end to the Korean War through dialogue and diplomacy. Peace is not only a moral imperative — it is a necessary step toward justice, reconciliation, and a future in which all Koreans, on both sides of the DMZ, can live without fear of war.”— Yu Soung Mun, President, Korean American Peace Fund

This will be a record tenth year of coordinated advocacy days for the cause of peace in Korea, and the fifth year of advocacy days being held virtually to accommodate interested constituents from across the country. When the initiative first started in 2015, only 12 people participated; the effort has now grown to include more than 200 people.

This year’s Korea Peace Advocacy Week is being organized by the American Friends Service Committee, Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Church & Society and Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Korean American Peace Fund, and Women Cross DMZ.

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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.

MCC U.S. is a non-profit organization that strives to share God’s love and compassion through relief, development and peacebuilding. In addition to supporting MCC’s international work, our national and regional staff lead programs across the U.S.

General Board of Church and Society is a social justice agency of The United Methodist Church, dedicated to the work of living faith, seeking justice, and pursuing peace. Addressing more than 30 social issues on which The United Methodist Church has claimed a position, Church and Society communicates with policymakers and leaders around the world with the mission of transforming the world.

As the mission and humanitarian assistance agency of The United Methodist Church, Global Ministries leads The United Methodist Church in equipping, strengthening and transforming people and communities for God’s mission around the world. In its work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, Global Ministries envisions and facilitates mission so that churches and faith communities grow and flourish; justice, freedom, peace, health and well-being prevail across racial, cultural, national and political boundaries; and people of all faiths live in dignity and security, even when they face humanitarian disasters and their aftermath.

The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns (MOGC) represents Maryknoll missioners, who are Catholic men and women serving in impoverished communities around the world. The MOGC provides analysis and advocacy on issues of justice, peace and the integrity of creation that affect the countries and communities where Maryknoll missioners serve.

The Korean American Peace Fund (KAPF) is a community-driven initiative dedicated to advocating for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula. Rooted in the Korean American community’s long history of activism, KAPF mobilizes resources, raises awareness, and supports legislative efforts to end the unresolved Korean War. Through grassroots organizing, public education, and strategic advocacy, the fund empowers Korean Americans and allies to take action for a lasting peace that prioritizes diplomacy and human rights. KAPF is committed to fostering a future where Korea is no longer divided by war but united in peace and justice. 

Women Cross DMZ is the leading feminist voice in the movement to bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula.

The post With the Election of the New South Korean President, US Advocates Organize for Korea Peace appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

발신: Echo (echo@womencrossdmz.org)
제목: [보도자료] 분단체재 하에서의 여성의 권리 보고서 발간
날짜: 2025년 3월 3일

분단체재 하에서의 여성의 권리 보고서

국제 여성의 날, 유엔 여성지위위원회 제68차 회의에 맞춰 한반도 여성 조명

한반도 평화를 위한 세계적 운동의 선도적 조직인 Women Cross DMZ는 새로운 보고서인 ‘분단체재 하의 여성의 권리 보고서’를 발간하여 한반도의 분단이 여성들에게 미치는 시급하고 종종 간과되는 결과에 대해 조명하였다.

이 보고서는 국제 여성의 날과 여성지위위원회 제68차 회의 및 한반도 분단 80주년에 맞춰 발표되었으며, 한반도의 지속적인 군사화에서 남북 여성이 겪는 인권 침해에 이르기까지 분단 체제의 깊고 지속적인 영향을 폭로한다. 이 보고서는 역사적 및 현대적 분석을 바탕으로 미군 기지의 존재, 지뢰와 불발탄의 부족한 성인지적 접근, 이산가족의 지속적인 트라우마와 같은 주요 문제를 강조하였다.

주요 결과:

80년 분단으로 인해 악화된 인권 문제: 비무장 지대(DMZ)의 지뢰와 불발탄(UXO) 잔해는 민간인, 특히 여성에게 여전히 심각한 피해를 입히고 있다. 지뢰 피해 여성들은 여전히 소외되어 있으며, 지뢰 제거 작업에 있어서도 성인지적 접근이 부족하다.

군사화의 성별적 영향: 한국에서 계속되는 미군의 존재와 군사 기지의 확장은 특히 체계적인 성폭력과 착취를 경험하는 기지촌에 사는 여성에게 중대한 인권적 영향을 미치고 있다. 더욱이 미군 기지의 확장으로 지역 농업 공동체가 이주하였고, 여성 농민들의 고통은 더욱 가중되고 있다.

이산가족의 지속적인 트라우마: 수백만의 가족들은 전쟁으로 인해 여전히 갈라져 있으며, 이산가족들의 고령화로 인해 재결합의 기회가 줄어들고 있다. 2000년대 초반 진행 되었던 국가 주도의 이산가족 상봉 프로그램은 중단되어 가족들은 사랑하는 사람들을 찾기 위해 민간 중개인이나 제한된 정부의 프로그램에 의존할 수 밖에 없다. 북한에 대한 미국인의 여행 금지 조치로 인해 한국계 미국인은 사랑하는 사람과 재결합할 수 없다.

위민크로스디엠지Women Cross DMZ의 캐시 최(Cathi Choi) 사무총장은

“이 보고서는 분단 체제가 단순히 지정학적 문제가 아니라 여성의 삶에 실질적이고 파괴적인 영향을 미치는 인권 위기라는 점을 분명히 한다, 한반도 평화를 위한 모든 노력은 여성의 목소리와 경험을 중심으로 해야 한다” 라고 밝혔다.

Women Cross DMZ는 두 한국 정부와 국제 사회가 한국의 지속적인 분단의 성별적 영향을 해결하고 한반도에서 지속 가능한 평화를 향해 노력하기 위한 즉각적인 조치를 취할 것을 촉구하였다.
분단체재 하에서의 여성의 권리 보고서 전체는 아래 링크에서 다운로드할 수 있습니다.
https://www.womencrossdmz.org/report-womens-rights-under-the-division-system-in-korea

한글 요약은 아래 링크에서 다운로드 할 수 있습니다.
분단체재 하에서의 여성의 권리 보고서 요약

위민크로스디엠지 소개 (Women Cross DMZ)

위민크로스디엠지는 한반도 전쟁 종식과 정책 참여를 위해 활동하는 여성들의 글로벌 운동입니다. 이 단체는 풀뿌리 옹호, 국제 연대, 정책 참여를 통해 한반도의 평화, 여성 인권, 한반도의 비무장화를 진전시키기 위해 노력하고 있습니다.

The post 국제 여성의 날, 유엔 여성지위위원회 제68차 회의에 맞춰 한반도 여성 조명 appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

Contact:
Solby Lim, Communications Associate
solby@womencrossdmz.org

Women Cross DMZ, a leading organization in the global movement for peace on the Korean Peninsula, has released a new report, Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea, shedding light on the urgent and often overlooked consequences of Korea’s division on women’s lives.

The report — which is being released to coincide with International Women’s Day, the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, and the 80th year of Korea’s division — exposes the profound and persistent impact of the division system, from the ongoing militarization of the peninsula to human rights violations suffered by women in both Koreas. Drawing from historical and contemporary analysis, the report highlights key issues such as the presence of U.S. military bases, the gendered consequences of landmines and unexploded ordnance, and the enduring trauma of family separation.

Among the key findings:

• Human rights issues exacerbated by the 80-year division: Landmines and unexploded ordnance remnants in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) continue to cause significant harm to civilians, particularly women. Women victims of landmines remain underserved, and gender-responsive measures are lacking in demining operations.
• Militarization’s gendered impact: The ongoing U.S. military presence in South Korea and the expansion of military bases have significant human rights implications, particularly for women living in military camptowns, where they experience systemic sexual violence and exploitation. Furthermore, the expansion of U.S. military bases has displaced local farming communities, further exacerbating the plight of women farmers.
• The ongoing trauma of family separation: Millions of Korean families remain divided by the Korean War, with opportunities for reunification dwindling as separated family members age. Reunions have stalled since the early 2000s, leaving families to rely on private brokers or limited government programs to locate loved ones. The U.S. travel ban on North Korea has also prevented Korean Americans from reuniting with their loved ones.

“This report makes clear that the division system is not just a geopolitical issue; it’s a human rights crisis with real and devastating impacts on women’s lives,” said Cathi Choi, Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ. “Any effort toward peace on the Korean Peninsula must center women’s voices and experiences.”

“South Korea’s women’s rights groups have long highlighted how Korea’s division system harms women’s rights and gender equality,” said Youngmi Cho, former Executive Director of the Korean Women’s Movement for Peace, Executive Committee Member of the Christian Conference of Asia, and contributor to the report. “Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea reinforces why women’s leadership is crucial to ending the Korean War.”

“Women have been at the forefront of protesting U.S. military base expansion in South Korea, showing how militarism has particular impacts on women’s human rights,” said YouKyoung Ko, Policy Director of Pyeongtaek Peace Center and a contributor to the report. “It’s time we took a more holistic view of human rights, and what is being sacrificed in the name of ‘national security.’”

“Human rights have been weaponized ever since the Cold War. Addressing the gendered impacts of Korea’s division system requires a holistic approach that centers the people, building transnational partnerships to amplify women’s demands for peace,” said Suzy Kim, a professor of Korean history at Rutgers University and contributor to the report. “Only through solidarity across borders can we end war and militarism on the Korean Peninsula.”

“Women in Korea have been living in the shadow of unresolved war for more than 70 years, bearing the burdens of militarization, division, and separation,” said Jung-ah Lee, Standing Representative of Gyeonggi Women’s Association United and a contributor to the report. “Their voices must be heard if we are to create a sustainable and lasting peace.”

The report provides a set of recommendations for governments and intergovernmental bodies to address these human rights concerns. It calls for a more comprehensive approach to human rights that prioritizes the needs and agency of the Korean people, and women in particular, including accountability for militarized sexual violence, legislation that addresses the gendered impact of landmines, the inclusion of women in peace and security initiatives, and renewed diplomatic efforts to reunite separated families.

Women Cross DMZ is urging the two Korean governments and the international community to take immediate action to address the gendered impacts of Korea’s ongoing division and to work toward sustainable peace on the peninsula.

The full report, Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea, is available for download here.

REPORT LAUNCH EVENTS:

Webinar
Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Time: 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST / 10 am Korea (Thursday, March 6)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Registration: bit.ly/dskreport

Join Women Cross DMZ for a webinar discussing the key findings of the newly released report, “Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea.” The report sheds light on the often overlooked consequences of Korea’s division, exposing the militarization, human rights violations, and family separations that continue to impact women’s lives today. This webinar is a must-attend for policymakers, activists, scholars, journalists, and anyone passionate about human rights, peace, and gender justice.

Speakers:

• Cathi Choi, Executive Director, Women Cross DMZ
• ​​Youngmi Cho, Executive Committee Member, Christian Conference of Asia, Former Executive Director, Korean Women’s Movement for Peace
• Lee Jung Ah, Standing Representative, Gyeonggi Women’s Association United
• Lee Jae Jung, National Assembly member, ROK

CSW Panel [Open to the public]

Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Time: 8:30-10:00am EST
Location: New York City, UN Church Center, 10th Floor (777 UN Plaza, New York NY 10017)
Registration: https://ngocsw69forum.events.whova.com/registration/

Description

This ESJF and WCDMZ session highlights the urgent need for accountability and global adoption of key Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) mechanisms, including UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the U.S. WPS Act. Drawing on cases like “comfort women” in Asia, Sepur Zarco, and South Korean landmine survivors, panelists will discuss the role of WPS mechanisms in addressing the devastating impact of war, militarism, and post-conflict realities on women and families. WCDMZ will also share the report, Women’s Rights Under the Division System, with groundbreaking analysis and research from Korean women.

Speakers:

• Cathi Choi, Women Cross DMZ
• Sung Sohn, Education for Social Justice Foundation
• Mimi Han, World YWCA
• Renee Copock, Crowley Fleck PLLP
• Marie Berry, Director of the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy (moderator)

About Women Cross DMZ

Women Cross DMZ is a global movement of women mobilizing to end the Korean War and. Through grassroots advocacy, international solidarity, and policy engagement, the organization works to advance peace, women’s rights, and demilitarization on the Korean Peninsula.

The post New Report Highlights How Women’s Rights Have Suffered Under Korea’s Division System appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

The Honorable Donald Trump
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump,

The undersigned coalition of national organizations write to urge you as you take office to pursue a diplomatic, peace-first approach with North Korea focused on improving relations, ending the Korean War, and reducing nuclear risk. As groups working together to establish a just peace on the Korean Peninsula through engagement, trustbuilding, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and dialogue, we hope you will dedicate urgent attention to this critical issue.

We encourage you to continue on the progress you made in your first administration toward improving relations with North Korea. Years of multiple administrations’ policies have not only failed to meet their stated goal of denuclearization, but have resulted in worsening tensions and an increased threat of war on the Korean Peninsula. We believe your administration has a unique opportunity to pursue a new approach that prioritizes peace in ways that would meaningfully advance US-North Korean relations and reduce nuclear risk where decades of pressure have failed.

In fact, there are growing voices in Congress that recognize the importance of a peace-based approach with North Korea. In the 118th Congress, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act (H.R. 1369), which calls for the State Department to outline a clear roadmap to peace, garnered a record 53 cosponsors on both sides of the aisle. We strongly urge you to focus on the hard work of sustained diplomacy with North Korea and commit to the following principles:

End the Korean War. Even though active hostilities between the United States and North Korea ended in 1953 with an Armistice Agreement, there was never a formal end to the war with a peace agreement. This continued state of war is the root cause of militarism and tensions that must be resolved if there is to be real progress with North Korea. A peace agreement that ends the wartime status quo would reduce tensions and foster more effective engagement on critical issues such as improved human rights and denuclearization. Formally ending the Korean War is the foundational trust-building mechanism in achieving a durable peace and would remove North Korea’s stated justification for nuclear weapons.

Agree to a gradual, reciprocal, verifiable process. The United States cannot realistically expect North Korea to unilaterally disarm before providing any sanctions relief, security guarantees, or other incentives. We urge you to reject calls to pursue a maximalist “all or nothing” approach and instead focus on actions that can move us towards advancing peace and denuclearization.

Normalize relations by building confidence and reducing tensions. There are many steps that the administration can take to shore up the potential for a successful diplomatic process. These steps include, but are not limited to:

• Reaffirming past commitments, including those most recently made in the 2018 Singapore Joint Declaration, which constructively called for new relations based on peaceful coexistence and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula
• Lifting the travel ban, which prevents US passport holders from entering North Korea, to facilitate people-to-people exchanges, reunions of divided families, and access for humanitarian organizations
• Expanding sanctions exemptions for humanitarian activities and access, such as the repatriation of the remains of US service members and people-to-people exchanges, as well as lifting sectoral sanctions that harm vulnerable individuals
• Suspending large-scale and live-fire military exercises, as research shows that joint military exercises do not deter North Korea but rather provoke a cycle of tit-for-tat provocative rhetoric and actions
• Establishing reciprocal liaison offices to aid in the pursuit of diplomatic talks and facilitate retrieval of U.S. Korean War servicemen’s remains and Korean-American family reunions
• Refraining from actions that constrict or complicate diplomacy, such as deploying additional missile defenses, enacting sanctions that impede talks and confidence building, employing hostile rhetoric, or rejecting leader-to-leader engagement

We urge you to take steps now to help formally end the Korean War with a peace agreement, which would lead to greater peace and security for the Korean Peninsula and the whole region. Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Action One Korea
American Friends Service Committee
Blasian March
Catholic Workers
Coalition of Koreans in America
Church of the Brethren, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy
Dorothy Day House, Washington, DC
Good Friends USA
JTS America
Kings Bay Plowshares
Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network
Korean American National Coordinating Council Inc.
Korean American Peace Fund
Korean American Support Association for Prisoners of Conscience
Legacies of War
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Massachusetts Peace Action
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
National Association of Korean Americans
NC Alliance for Truth and Hope
Nevada Coalition of Empowered Korean Americans
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Peace Action
Peace Catalyst International
Peace Treaty Now
Ploughshares
Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
Quincy Institute
RootsAction.org
Seattle Evergreen Coalition
The New England Korea Peace Campaign
The Friends Committee on National Legislation
The United Methodist Church — General Board of Church and Society
The United Methodist Church — General Board of Global Ministries
The United Methodist Church — General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
West Virginia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Bombs
Women Cross DMZ
Washington Butterfly for Hope
Win Without War
World BEYOND War

CC: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz
Deputy National Security Advisor Alex Wong
Secretary of State Marco Rubio

The post Letter Sent to the Trump Administration Regarding Korea Peace Priorities appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

Running from March 18-22, 2024, Korea Peace Advocacy Week will consist of virtual lobby visits with 175 Congressional offices in 32 states to advocate for H.R.1369, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, which calls for serious, urgent diplomacy in pursuit of a binding peace agreement to formally end the Korean War. The bill — which currently has 39 co-sponsors, including bipartisan support — also calls for a review of the U.S. travel ban on North Korea, which prevents Korean Americans from visiting their families in North Korea and can impede the work of humanitarian aid groups.

This is an especially timely moment to support peace efforts, as Kim Jong Un recently announced that North Korea will no longer pursue reconciliation with South Korea, the United States, South Korea, and Japan are holding larger and more frequent joint war drills, which have proven to raise tensions in the region, and some experts are warning that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is more dangerous than at any time since 1950.

Although it is known in the U.S. as “the Forgotten War,” the Korean War never ended but was merely halted by an armistice in 1953, which was supposed to be temporary. This unresolved state of war is the root cause of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, has driven the extreme militarization of the Korean Peninsula, and has kept Korean families separated for decades. Furthermore, the U.S. approach of pressure and isolation has failed to improve the security crisis in Korea or the situation of human rights in North Korea. A peace-first approach would be a more realistic and effective method for improving the safety and well-being of Koreans and Americans.

“It’s clear that the U.S. public is tired of our government’s forever wars,” said Cathi Choi, Director of Policy and Organizing for Women Cross DMZ and co-coordinator of Korea Peace Advocacy Week. “We must redirect resources away from military spending toward investments that address the climate crisis, housing, and other urgent needs.”

“Advocacy Week is an important moment to join with other organizations and advocates from around the country to tell Congress that the people of the U.S. want a different relationship with the D.P.R.K.,” said Jennifer Deibert, D.P.R.K. Program Director for American Friends Service Committee. “In a recent public opinion poll conducted by The Harris Poll, a plurality of people in the U.S. want to end the war with a peace agreement and a strong majority want the U.S. government to engage with the D.P.R.K. on a variety of issues, including family reunions, delivery of humanitarian assistance by privately funded charities, and people-to-people exchanges. It’s time for Congress to listen to advocates and people in the U.S. and pass legislation that moves us toward peace, not war.”

”The United Methodist Church stands in firm commitment with the Christians of Korea, both North and South, and around the world in faithful actions to work towards peace, healing, and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula,” said Colleen Moore, Director of Peace With Justice at the General Board of Church and Society, the social justice agency of the United Methodist Church. “Especially as tensions continue to escalate, Korea Peace Advocacy Week is an opportunity for faith in action to advocate to Congress to pursue peace.”

“In the Anabaptist tradition we have a commitment to pursuing peace marked by seeking to engage those our government labels as ‘enemies’ with hospitality and mercy,” said Rebecca Burkholder, MCC Director of International Program. “Engaging this divide in a time of rising hostility may be one of our most important forms of holy witness in a world of increasing polarization which is desperate for signs of hope.

This will be the ninth year of coordinated advocacy days for the cause of peace in Korea, and the fifth year of advocacy days being held online due to the pandemic. When the initiative first started in 2015, only 12 people participated; the effort has now grown to include more than 200 people.

This year’s Korea Peace Advocacy Week is being organized by American Friends Service Committee, Korea Peace Now!, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Church & Society and Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, and Women Cross DMZ.

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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.

MCC U.S. is a non-profit organization that strives to share God’s love and compassion through relief, development and peacebuilding. In addition to supporting MCC’s international work, our national and regional staff lead programs across the U.S.

General Board of Church and Society is a social justice agency of The United Methodist Church, dedicated to the work of living faith, seeking justice, and pursuing peace. Addressing more than 30 social issues on which The United Methodist Church has claimed a position, Church and Society communicates with policymakers and leaders around the world with the mission of transforming the world.

As the mission and humanitarian assistance agency of The United Methodist Church, Global Ministries leads The United Methodist Church in equipping, strengthening and transforming people and communities for God’s mission around the world. In its work of making disciples of Jesus Christ, Global Ministries envisions and facilitates mission so that churches and faith communities grow and flourish; justice, freedom, peace, health and well-being prevail across racial, cultural, national and political boundaries; and people of all faiths live in dignity and security, even when they face humanitarian disasters and their aftermath.

Women Cross DMZ is the leading feminist voice in the movement to bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula.

The post As Tensions Escalate in Korea, Americans Demand Peace appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

Held over three days, Korea Peace Action fortified the Korea peace movement by fostering connection and collaboration between organizations, groups, and individuals — including Korean Americans from divided families, Gen M/Z activists, humanitarian aid workers, experts, scholars, and peace-loving people — reflecting the diverse ecosystem of changemakers who share the vision of peace on the Korean Peninsula in our lifetime. Several veterans of the movement said this historic convening made them feel hopeful about the possibility of achieving peace in our lifetime, for the first time in decades.

Here are some of the highlights:

• We met with Congressional offices asking them to support — or thanking them for supporting — H.R.1369, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act.
• We also met with State Department officials to urge them to lift the US travel ban to the DPRK to allow family reunions, humanitarian activities, the repatriation of US servicemember remains, and peacebuilding initiatives.

• We held a press conference in front of the Capitol building with Korea Peace Champions Representatives Barbara Lee, Judy Chu, and Delia Ramirez; Joy Gebhard, a member of a divided family; Rick Downes of the Coalition of Families of Korean and Cold War POW/MIAs; Dan Leaf, a retired three-star general and former acting commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command; Joyce Ajlouny, Secretary General of AFSC; and 14-year-old Hana de Vitton, a fifth-generation member of a divided family. Members of the media — including from The Washington Post and PBS Newshour — were in attendance. Watch the video of our press conference below.

“This legislation [H.R.1369] offers a transformative peace-first approach to ending the Korean War, finally. The Korean War is known as the forgotten war in the United States. Most people think the war officially has ended so this is unacceptable. It’s time that we wake up from our collective amnesia to remember the death and destruction that this war entailed and chart a new path forward, one based on global peace and security and rooted in human security.”
— Rep. Barbara Lee

• We held an event called Unbind Your Heart: Korean Han / Grief Transmutation Ceremony, in which we wailed, wept, and danced through our Han (generational grief/rage). It included an interfaith prayer by Sulkiro, pastor of Han Church; a participatory writing prompt and construction of a community altar led by acclaimed author Joseph Han; and traditional Korean grief rituals led by renowned multidisciplinary artist and shaman Dohee Lee. It was an incredibly moving and cathartic experience that transformed our collective grief and rage into strength and resilience.

• We ended the day in the fierce DC sun in front of the White House for a rousing rally with Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK, Nick Cho (@YourKoreanDad), and David Kim (CA-34 candidate), and a deeply moving performance of “Arirang” by Josephine Lee of the Chicago Children’s Choir.

• From there, our 500-strong group marched through a gorgeous summer shower to the Lincoln Memorial, led by the rousing rhythms of Baltimore Han Pan youth percussion group. There, we held an interfaith vigil that included prayers, a powerful chant for peace by a Buddhist monk, and an unforgettable gang gang sullae circle dance on the national mall.

• We wrapped up our three-day convening with an all-day conference at George Washington University to learn from experts and those with lived experience about the impact of the unresolved war and what’s at stake, and share strategies to move toward peace. Preeminent Korea historian Bruce Cumings gave the keynote address, followed by panel discussions: “The Human Costs of Unending War” and “Peace to Prevent Nuclear War.” Watch the conference below.

• Speakers included divided family member Joy Lee Gebhard; Rick Downes of the Coalition of Families of Korean and Cold War POW/MIAs; Dr. Kee Park, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Harvard University Department of Global Health and Social Medicine; Prof. Siegfried Hecker, former Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory; retired U.S. Army Colonel Ann Wright; and Dan Leaf, retired Lieutenant General of the U.S. Air Force and former Acting Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

“The odds of North Korea’s denuclearization absent a peace treaty are zero. That’s why starting with denuclearization is such a nonstarter.” — Dan Leaf

“Sanctions kill. We know it and we should not excuse it. We have allowed our leaders and our morals to deteriorate. We have become barbarians because we have accepted deaths of women and children in the name of national security.” — Dr. Kee Park, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Harvard University Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, who has visited DPRK over 20 times  

Of all the events over those eventful three days, perhaps the most meaningful was the opportunity to connect with one another to weave an intergenerational tapestry of resistance to the ongoing Korean War. Our movement is powerful, and our voices are growing louder. Our calls are being heard. We know we’re making a difference because we even got attacked by right-wing, pro-war media!

Thank you to all our co-convenors — American Friends Service Committee, Korean American Peace Fund, Mennonite Central Committee, National Association of Korean Americans, The United Methodist Church, and Veterans for Peace — and 27 co-sponsors, our 30 Under 30 cohort, Rep. Barbara Lee who hosted our press conference, and everyone who contributed to help make this action so successful and meaningful.

Together, we can and will see an end to the Korean War!

Click here to read press coverage of Korea Peace Action.

See more photos by clicking through the slideshow below. Photos by Constance Faulk.

The post Hundreds Gathered in Washington, DC for Korea Peace Action appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

Assistant Secretary of State

Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20520

July 25, 2023

Dear Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink:

We previously have corresponded concerning the current travel ban restricting U.S. citizens from traveling freely to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).  See our letter, dated September 6, 2022, attached.  We appreciate your letter to us, dated September 22, 2022, responding to our concerns.

We take this opportunity to further our discussion and request achievable changes in the current ban on travel to the DPRK.  As set forth in our September 6 letter, we believe there are many reasons justifying an end to the travel ban at this time, or, at the very least, modifications to the ban to support bona fide humanitarian and democracy-based initiatives and people-to-people engagement, with little risk to those who would travel.  We ask that the State Department end the travel ban at this time.  To the extent the ban is based on concerns that U.S. citizens will be unlawfully detained, mistreated, or held hostage, we believe the empirical evidence strongly suggests otherwise.  Since the early 1990s, U.S. humanitarian organizations safely sent hundreds of aid workers to North Korea, including outside of the capital city of Pyongyang.  From 2000 to 2017, an estimated 6,000 Korean Americans traveled to North Korea, many seeking to reunite with family members from whom they became separated due to the Korean War.  Out of these thousands, only 20 known U.S. citizens have been detained in or deported from North Korea.  Additionally, prior to the institution of the 2017 travel ban, hundreds of U.S. citizens lived and worked as residents in the DPRK – none of whom were detained. These people-to-people exchanges and humanitarian activities are crucial to advancing the U.S. national interest and building trust with North Korea, but have been largely halted as a result of the 2017 travel ban.

In the absence of terminating the travel ban, at a minimum we propose two modifications to the Department’s Special Validation Passport (SVP) policy that has been applied for travel to the DPRK.  First, we believe it would be sensible to align the SVP policies for the DPRK more closely with the NGO-related general license in the North Korea Sanctions Regulations (NKSR), set forth at 31 C.F.R. Part 510, and administered by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Such a modification would more fully reflect existing U.S. policy towards the DPRK, and support the important objectives of the NGO and humanitarian communities that are the intended users of OFAC’s humanitarian exemption.

A second and related point is that we believe the Department’s SVP policy for the DPRK should explicitly allow travel for the purpose of constitutionally protected speech (a concept already reflected in part in OFAC’s NKSR), and, in particular, for the purpose of democracy-building and people-to-people initiatives.  In light of the strong constitutional protection associated with the right to travel, we believe travel that is associated with First Amendment free speech in aid of such initiatives is compelling.  We believe that now is the time to consider appropriate amendments to the SVP policies to make them a more coherent part of the overall U.S. regulatory structure for the DPRK, and also more fully reflective of U.S. laws and values.

Section 510.512 of OFAC’s NKSR authorizes NGOs to provide services to the DPRK for enumerated categories of not-for-profit activities, including those relating to humanitarian, democracy building, non-commercial development, and environmental protection purposes.  As you know, numerous organizations are engaged in these areas in the DPRK.[1]  However, the Department’s SVP “national interest” policy is more limited, only explicitly applying to journalists, Red Cross representatives, or others whose travel is “justified by compelling humanitarian considerations”, which we understand has been applied primarily for life-saving assistance for civilians.

Given that the U.S. government has authorized NGOs, through the NKSR, to provide the listed types of services in 31 C.F.R. section 510.512, U.S. citizen NGO personnel need to be able to travel to the DPRK to responsibly plan, implement, and monitor those authorized activities. Therefore, a more explicit alignment between the SVP policies and the OFAC general license is appropriate, helpful to humanitarian policy objectives, and sensible.  To the extent that NGOs engaged in OFAC-authorized activity cannot have their representatives travel to the DPRK, two detrimental outcomes will result:

(1) humanitarian aid organizations will continue to be deterred from engaging with the DPRK, to the detriment of long-term U.S. policy interests, not to mention the interests of the DPRK people who receive support from these programs, and

(2) for those organizations that maintain their in-country activity despite this seemingly counterproductive regulatory obstacle, it will become harder to properly plan, implement, and monitor effectiveness and results, thereby impeding well-managed humanitarian activity in the DPRK.

Accordingly, we believe that U.S. policy and associated regulations or State Department guidance for the DPRK should explicitly allow travel when it relates to OFAC-authorized activity. This should include activity authorized under section 510.512, as well as other activities that are authorized under or exempt from OFAC’s NKSR (e.g., as discussed below, activities relating to the exchange of “information or informational materials,” an exemption from the NKSR, which is grounded in First Amendment protections).  The Department could consider implementing this policy alignment in a simplified manner by, for example, putting out guidance on its website explaining that activity that is lawful under the NKSR would be deemed to be “justified by compelling humanitarian considerations” for the purpose of SVP authorization.

While we believe that aligning the SVP policy with the NKSR in this way would be an important step, there is an additional category of activity that in our view should — in fact, in our assessment, must — be explicitly covered by the SVP policy: travel to the DPRK for the purpose of engaging in constitutionally-protected speech.  When the State Department has no particular safety-related concerns about a specific SVP requester whose travel purpose would be to engage in constitutionally-protected speech, those requests should be granted, and this policy should be made explicit.  Not only is it our considered view that this is what would be consistent with U.S. constitutional law,[2] we also believe that allowing U.S. citizens to travel to the DPRK to engage in peace advocacy and other forms of protected speech would further U.S. policy interests in the region by allowing the local populations and government representatives to witness the diverse views and freedom of expression that governments can permit.

Section 510.213 of the NKSR already exempts activity relating to the importation and exportation of “information or informational materials,” as well as any “personal communication that does not involve the transfer of anything of value.”  Congressional action codified this policy into U.S. law in 1988 and 1994, and it is clear that over the past three decades, this exemption has not undermined – and in fact has been an important and positive feature of – U.S. embargo policies towards countries like the DPRK.  Congress enacted this exemption despite agency objections, in large part due to concerns about sanctions regulations restricting constitutionally-protected rights, and out of a fundamental belief that people-to-people contacts and the free flow of information are key foundations of U.S. foreign policy, even when there are national security concerns.  In other words, Congress’ bold action in enacting these “Berman Amendment” exemptions to U.S. sanctions won the day based on an acceptance of modest short-term risks in the interest of positioning U.S. policy for longer-term success in the DPRK and other comprehensively sanctioned countries.

An example of important people-to-people contact that is not currently permitted under the SVP policy is family reunions.  An estimated 100,000 Korean Americans with family members in the DPRK have not seen or heard from their loved ones in decades.  While the South and North Korean governments have facilitated 21 reunions and 7 video reunions since they began implementing family reunions in 1985, Korean Americans with family members in the DPRK have been left out of this process entirely.  Days before his election, President Biden pledged “to reunite Korean Americans separated from loved ones in North Korea for decades.”  The United States has a moral obligation to facilitate these reunions as quickly as possible, as time is running out, especially for elderly Korean Americans.

Another example of a currently prohibited activity is a peacebuilding trip, such as the one in 2015 when American women traveled to the DPRK for a peace symposium and peace walks with North Korean women.  It is not clear that such a trip would fall within the current and more limited “compelling humanitarian considerations” policy and therefore may not be given an SVP authorization.  Even if the Department ultimately granted such an authorization under the existing language of the SVP, on its face the policy as stated does not appear to allow this type of travel as it is not directly tied to “humanitarian” (i.e., immediately life-saving) purposes.  Therefore, would-be SVP requesters are deterred from even engaging with the Department for this type of trip.  This example underscores the importance of explicitly listing the various policy grounds that would allow the Department to issue SVP authorizations.  This type of peacebuilding trip is consistent with the travelers’ constitutional rights, and with the NKSR’s exemptions for informational exchanges.

We believe restricting such travel is inconsistent with the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, and, equally important, acts as an impediment to U.S. foreign policy interests through engagement.

The longer that these types of human contact and free expression are restricted by the Department’s SVP policies, the more distance grows between our U.S. and DPRK societies.  Isolation may increase the risks associated with misunderstanding, atrophying of relationships, and the ultimate erosion of any trust that remains or can be achieved in the bilateral relationship.   While the Department has to date been focused on the immediate national security-related risks of travel, we assert that the time has now come, particularly if the travel ban will not be subject to a sunset in the near future, to more fully weigh the risk of years-long restrictions on travel to humanitarian efforts supported by the Treasury Department’s NKSR, and the longer-term risks to U.S. foreign policy interests rooted in engagement and value leadership.

Finally, and returning to trust, the current U.S.-DPRK diplomatic relationship appears to be in stasis, which in turn has paralyzed the goals of regional stability and containing nuclear proliferation.  The equities of the engagement stand-off could be changed with one or more low-level signals from the State Department.  One such signal would be to let the travel ban expire, or in the alternative to implement the policy changes proposed above, and make these known to DPRK counterparts.  Reforming existing SVP policies would be low-hanging fruit, and a politically palatable way to serve U.S. interests that could create momentum for desired engagement.

We thank you for your careful consideration of our views and proposals, and urge that changes be made in the interests of humanitarian support, democracy building (even if a long road), and people-to-people engagement, all of which we believe are core objectives of our government vis-à-vis the DPRK.

Sincerely,

Individual Signatories

Christine Ahn, Executive Director, Women Cross DMZ & Co-Coordinator, Korea Peace Now!

Elizabeth Beavers, Quincy Institute, Vice President of Public Affairs

Mickey Bergman, on behalf of Governor Bill Richardson Center for Global Engagement

Cathi Choi, Director of Policy & Organizing, Women Cross DMZ & Co-Coordinator, Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network

Abigail Disney, filmmaker, philanthropist and social activist
Rick Downes, President, Coalition of Families of Korean & Cold War POW/MIAs

Suzy Kim, Amnesty International USA (South) Korea Country Specialist

Orin O’Brien, Double Bass, New York Philharmonic (retired)

Kee B. Park, MD. Lecturer, Harvard Medical School

Jack Rendler, Amnesty International USA Country Specialist for North Korea & Founding Member, International Campaign to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea

Chahee Stanfield, Founder and Executive Director, National Coalition for Divided Families

Gloria Steinem, author and activist

Ann Wright, US Army Colonel and US Diplomat (retired), Veterans for Peace

Organizational Signatories

National Association of Korean Americans

Korea Peace Now

Korean American Peace Fund

Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

The United Methodist Church, Church & Society

The United Methodist Church, Global Ministries

The Peace Committee, the Korean Association of the United Methodist Church

Veterans for Peace

Women Cross DMZ

CC:

Kurt Campbell, National Security Council Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific

Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State

Kin Moy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, East Asia and Pacific Affairs Bureau

Sung Kim, US Special Representative for North Korea

Enclosures

[1] Unfortunately, many such NGOs are compelled to seek specific licenses from OFAC, even when conducting activities falling within the scope of Section 510.512, due to the potentially broad but in any case highly ambiguous restriction in Section 510.512 on “partnerships and partnership agreements” with DPRK government parties.

[2] Aptheker v. Secretary of State, 378 U.S. 500 (1964) (restrictions on the right to travel must be narrowly tailored and justified by a compelling government interest); Kent v. Dulles, 357 U.S. 116 (1958) (right to travel abroad is a fundamental right that is protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment);  Bauer v. Acheson, 106 F. Supp. 445 (D.D.C. 1952) (although the conduct of foreign affairs is within the discretion of the Executive Branch, such conduct must not be in conflict with any individual’s constitutional rights).

The post Letter Sent to the State Department Regarding Travel Restrictions to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

Location: House Triangle, Washington, D.C.

With tensions rising dangerously on the Korean Peninsula—including a sharp escalation of U.S.-South Korea joint military drills and U.S. plans to deploy a nuclear-capable submarine to South Korea—top experts will join hundreds of Korea peace advocates from across the country to call on the Biden administration and Congress to replace the Korean War Armistice with a formal peace agreement.

On July 27, at 11:30 AM, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) will host a press conference at the House Triangle in support of the H.R.1369, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, which is now backed by 33 Members of Congress. Rep. Lee is a longtime Korea peace champion whose father served in the Korean War, an experience that influenced her brave vote against the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. She will be joined by fellow Korea Peace Champions Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-28), who will also speak.

The press conference is expected to gather at least 200 people from a broad coalition of groups representing Korean Americans, separated family members, veterans, faith groups, and humanitarian aid workers with firsthand experience in North Korea.

The following individuals will also speak at the press conference:

• Joy Gebhard, a 90-year-old Korean American woman whose last wish is to reunite with her family in North Korea;
• Rick Downes, of the Coalition of Families of Korean and Cold War POW/MIAs, who has been searching for his fallen father’s remains from the Korean War;
• Dan Leaf, retired three-star general, a former Air Force fighter pilot and former deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Command;
• Joyce Ajlouny, Secretary General from AFSC; and
• Hana De Vitton, 14-year Korean American youth from a separated Korean family.

The press conference kicks off the two-day Korea Peace Action: National Mobilization to End the Korean War, co-convened by a national coalition of organizations working for peace on the Korean Peninsula:

American Friends Service Committee

Global Ministries— The United Methodist Church

Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network

Korean American Peace Fund

Mennonite Central Committee

National Association of Korean Americans

Veterans for Peace

Women Cross DMZ

The national convening is cosponsored by the following groups. 

Coalition of Koreans in America

Code Pink

DSA International Committee

Global Impact Rotary Club

Good Friends USA

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

Gyopo

Hampton Institute

Han Pan Korean American Cultural Center

Hawai’i Peace and Justice

June 15 U.S. Committee for Reunification of Korea

Korea Policy Institute

Korea Queer and Trans National Network

Korean American National Coordinating Council

Madre

Nodutdol

Peace Action

Peace Action New York State

Peace Committee of the Korean Association of the United Methodist Church

Presbyterian Church of USA

Quincy Institute

President of Rotary Club of Global Impact

Rotary Satellite Club of International Peace World, District 5000

Women Against Military Madness (Minnesota)

The post Rep. Barbara Lee to Host 7/27 Media Briefing to Mark the 70th Anniversary of the Korean Armistice appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

Korea peace advocates from across the United States will convene in Washington, D.C., on July 26-28, 2023, to call on President Biden and Congress to support a formal peace agreement with North Korea

Washington, D.C. — With tensions rising dangerously on the Korean Peninsula — including the U.S. and South Korea holding the largest ever live-fire drills and a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arriving in South Korean waters a day after North Korea resumed missile tests — hundreds of Korea peace advocates from across the country will gather in the nation’s capital on the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice for Korea Peace Action: National Mobilization to End the Korean War, July 26-28, 2023. The three-day convening in Washington, D.C., is being organized by Women Cross DMZ and the Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network and a broad coalition of peace advocates, humanitarian aid groups, and organizations representing veterans, POW-MIAs, faith traditions, and Korean Americans whose families remain divided by the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that bisects the peninsula. This action will coincide with similar peace mobilizations in South Korea, organized by our Korea peace partners there.

Organizers have planned a compelling program of events and speakers to showcase growing momentum for a peace-first approach to North Korea diplomacy among Congress, civil society, geopolitical and military experts and scientists. Many experts agree this approach is critical to safely addressing the world’s most urgent risk of nuclear conflict: the Korean Peninsula. One of the primary goals of the convening is to mobilize support for the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act (H.R. 1369), which calls for a peace agreement with North Korea and has support from nearly 30 Members of Congress. The convening will include:

• July 27 at 9AM: A congressional press briefing with US members of Congress and Korea peace champions at the House Triangle;
• July 27 from 1-3 PM: A participatory, community grief ceremony featuring renowned Korean American performance artist Dohee Lee and author Joseph Han, author of the acclaimed novel Nuclear Family;
• July 27 from 5-6PM: A rally at Lafayette Park with Women Cross DMZ Executive Director Christine Ahn, TikTok creator Nick Cho (“Your Korean Dad”), and other prominent Korea peace supporters;
• July 27 from 6-7PM: March
• July 27 from 7-8PM: Vigil
• July 28 from 9AM-3PM: conference at George Washington University featuring renowned Korea scholars and peace strategists:
  • Siegfried Hecker, Stanford University nuclear scientist
  • Kee Park (Harvard Medical School faculty, Director of the North Korea Program at the Korean American Medical Association)
  • Joy Gebhart, member of a divided family, humanitarian and peace activist
  • Lt. Gen. Dan Leaf, retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general, former deputy commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
  • Bruce Cumings, University of Chicago Korea scholar
  • Jennifer Deibert, DPRK program director at the American Friends Service Committee

Korea peace advocates have made significant strides in challenging the mainstream narrative about the “Forgotten War,” as it is often referred to in U.S. history textbooks. That war — which killed 4 million people in just three years, mostly civilians — remains the defining trauma of the Korean people, both on the peninsula and in the diaspora. Most Americans don’t realize that the Korean War never technically ended, or that the Korean War is the longest-running overseas U.S. military conflict.

The broad coalition of organizations involved in this mobilization are calling for a permanent peace agreement between the United States and North Korea—the only two parties to the war that have not declared peace or normalized relations—to replace the 70-year armistice. The current U.S. approach toward North Korea, defined by hostility and isolation, has failed to achieve positive outcomes and has only prolonged continuing tensions and hostilities between the two parties. This has resulting in the extreme militarization of the Korean Peninsula and continued division of families.

Geopolitical and military experts agree that an official end to the Korean War would reduce tensions and build confidence, providing the foundation upon which to more effectively engage on issues such as denuclearization and improved human rights. It would be a step toward shifting resources away from endless wars and toward more basic human needs at home, including housing, healthcare, food security, and climate action.

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QUOTES FROM EXPERTS AND COALITION MEMBERS

“As a two-war combat veteran who served four years in the Republic of Korea and as former Deputy Commander and Acting Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, I believe Congress must act now to push for the end of America’s longest war, reduce the risk of a nuclear catastrophe, and set the conditions through peace for addressing denuclearization and human rights.” ~ 3-star Lt. Gen. Dan Leaf, former commander of the Indo-Pacific 

“I came away from the war realizing that war is not the answer. I saw myself in my enemy….In connection with this anniversary, I am appealing to all parties to finally end the lingering U.S. war in Korea. The ROK (South Korea), the DPRK (North Korea), and the United States should take steps that would serve the mutual interests of the Korean and American peoples who strongly desire ‘permanent peace and friendship’ between the two nations.”  ~ John (“Jack”) Doxey, 92, U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and member of Veterans for Peace

“As a peace-loving organization of Korean-Americans, we demand a peace treaty. Seventy years of war is enough! Secondly, we want a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. Thirdly, the joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea must be contained. Finally, we call on the U.S. government to stop spending so much on the military and allocate more resources for economic recovery and other safety nets for all.” ~ Yu Soung Moon, president of the Korean American Peace Fund

“I was stationed in South Korea in the U.S. Army in 1980 at Camp Humphreys when it was just big, not the mega-base it is now. I knew even then, as a largely ignorant 20-something, that we tens of thousands of troops were there as occupiers to maintain hegemony and threats to China, with absolutely nothing to do with protecting either Koreans or the United States.”  ~ Ellen Barfield, veteran and member of Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network, Washington, D.C., chapter

“The unended war continues to have profound impacts on people living on the Korean Peninsula and U.S. policy toward the DPRK, hindering cooperation and people-to-people exchange on multiple levels. The human cost of the war is rising with each decade that passes—families do not have the opportunity to reunite, servicemembers from the war are still missing, and civil society engagement with DPRK partners is hindered by a continued state of war. In the experience of the American Friends Service Committee, dialogue and people-to-people exchange are necessary to work toward peaceful resolutions to conflict. Ending the war will open up new opportunities to reimagine relationships and forge a new path forward based on mutual thriving and human security.” ~ Jennifer Deibert, DPRK Program Director of the American Friends Service Committee 

“In 2015 when I joined Christine Ahn and a group of women crossing the DMZ, I was inspired by the opportunity to put our bodies where our hopes are: the reunification of families and a nation still divided by the Korean war of more than seventy years ago.  We felt that it was important to do with our physical selves what we hope could be done politically.  Engagement and dialogue are way more likely to achieve the kinds of goals we want than isolation and silence.  Women Cross DMZ is still leading the movement to end America’s longest war. Join us!”  ~ Gloria Steinem

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Korea Peace Action: National Mobilization to End the Korean War is co-convened by a national coalition of organizations working for peace on the Korean Peninsula:

National Association of Korean Americans

American Friends Service Committee

Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network

Mennonite Central Committee

Minkwon Center for Community Action

National Korean American Service & Education Consortium

Veterans for Peace

Women Cross DMZ

The co-convenors are grateful to the following co-sponsoring organizations:

Coalition of Koreans in America

Code Pink

Good Friends USA

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

Gyopo

Hampton Institute

Han Pan Korean American Cultural Center

Hawai’i Peace and Justice

June 15 U.S. Committee for Reunification of Korea

Korean American National Coordinating Council

Korea Policy Institute

Madre

Nodutdol

Peace Action

Peace Action New York State

Peace Committee of the Korean Association of the United Methodist Church

Presbyterian Church of USA

Quincy Institute

President of Rotary Club of Global Impact

Rotary Satellite Club of International Peace World, District 5000

Women Against Military Madness (Minnesota)

The post National Mobilization to Call for Peace on the 70th Anniversary of the Korean Armistice  appeared first on Korea Peace Now!.

As history has shown, diplomacy is the only way to resolve this conflict. Past agreements have resulted in the freezing of North Korea’s nuclear program, the suspension of war drills, and other actions that have de-escalated tensions. They have also led to reunions of separated families, the repatriation of remains of fallen soldiers, and the creation of joint economic zones and liaison offices. What has caused these agreements to fail is a fundamental mistrust driven by the unresolved Korean War. Now is the time for renewed diplomacy between all sides that aims to both reduce tensions and lay the groundwork for a formal end to the Korean War.

The unresolved Korean War is the root cause of the security crisis on the Korean Peninsula. We call on the United States, North Korea, and South Korea to engage in talks toward formally ending the 73-year-old Korean War by signing a peace agreement, which is the most crucial step toward the ultimate goal of building a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. The lack of peaceful resolution to the Korean War has resulted in increasing militarization and the risk of renewed conflict at any time. The human costs of this unresolved war have included the division of families, the death and mutilation of people due to landmines, forced military conscription, the destruction of farmland and the environment for military bases, and the redirection of resources away from basic human needs towards weapons of death.

We urge President Joseph Biden, Chairman Kim Jong Un, and President Yoon Suk-Yeol to stop the destructive arms race, take steps now to prevent a potentially catastrophic war, and set the table for peace talks. The year 2023 will mark 70 years of the Korean Peninsula and its people living under the armistice state. It’s time to replace the fragile armistice agreement with a lasting peace agreement. We demand peace in Korea now!

우리 미국, 한국, 그리고 전 세계의 시민사회단체들은 한반도의 군사적 긴장이 극도로 높아지는 것을 깊이 우려하고 있습니다. 수백만 명의 사람들에게 재앙적인 영향을 미칠 수 있는 전쟁을 피하기 위해 남과 북 그리고 미국 정부는 한반도의 군사적 긴장을 고조시키는 미사일 발사와 전쟁 연습을 즉시 중단해야 합니다. 군사 행동이 아니라 협상의 장으로 돌아와 단계별 외교적 접근을 통해 신뢰 구축과 핵위험의 해결, 관계 정상화를 향해 나아갈 것을 촉구합니다.

역사가 보여 주듯이 외교는 갈등을 해결하는 유일한 방법입니다. 과거의 합의들은 북한의 핵 프로그램을 동결시켰고, 전쟁연습의 중단과 긴장 완화 등 여러 행동으로 이어졌습니다. 또한 이산가족 상봉과 전사자 유해 송환, 공동 경제협력 구역과 공동연락사무소 개설로 이어졌습니다. 이러한 합의들이 실패하게 된 원인으로는 아직 해결되지 않은 한국전쟁으로 인한 근본적인 불신이 있습니다. 지금이야말로 외교의 장을 다시 열어 긴장을 완화하고 한국전쟁을 공식적으로 끝내기 위한 기틀을 마련해야 합니다.

해결되지 않은 한국전쟁은 한반도 안보위기의 근본 원인입니다. 우리는 한반도의 항구적이며 안정적인 평화체제 구축이라는 궁극적 목표로 나아갈 수 있도록 남과 북, 미국이 평화협정을 체결하여 70년에 이르는 정전상태의 한국 전쟁을 공식적으로 끝내는 대화에 나설 것을 촉구합니다. 한국전쟁의 평화적 해결을 이루지 못한 상태는 군사화를 심화시키고 어느 때라도 무력충돌이 재개될 위험을 초래합니다. 평화적 해결의 부재는 이산가족, 지뢰 피해로 인한 사망과 부상, 징병제, 군사 기지로 인한 농지와 환경의 파괴, 사람들의 기본 욕구 충족을 위한 자원을 죽음의 무기 개발과 구입으로 전환 등의 문제들을 낳고 있습니다.

우리는 바이든 대통령과 김정은 위원장, 윤석열 대통령이 파괴적인 군비 경쟁을 중단하고 재앙을 몰고 올 수 있는 전쟁을 막기 위한 조치를 취하며, 평화를 위한 협상에 나설 것을 촉구합니다. 2023년은 한반도에서 전쟁이 끝나지 않은 정전 상태의 삶이 이어져온 지 70년이 되는 해입니다. 취약한 정전협정을 평화협정으로 대체하여 항구적인 평화의 길로 나서야 할 때입니다. 우리는 지금 당장 한반도의 평화를 요구합니다!

Signed

Tomás Ojea Quintana

Action One Korea

All Saints’ Episcopal Korean Church

America Korea United Society

Atlanta SaSaSe

Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security

CODEPINK

Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR-USA)

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)

gyeole-uigil minjoggwangjang

Global Zero

Hawai’i Peace and Justice

International Fellowship of Reconciliation – IFOR

International No to war – no to NATO network

Just Foreign Policy

KANCC-Washington Regional Association

KAPAC

Korea Peace Now!

Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network – PNW Chapter

Korean American National Coordinating Council, Inc

Korean New Zealander for a better future

Koreans for woorischools

MADRE

Massachusetts Peace Action (MAPA)

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)

National Council of Churches in Korea

New England Korea Peace Campaign

OC Korean Open Forum

Okinawa Women Act Against Military Violence

Parallax Perspectives

Peace Action New York State

Peace Depot Inc. Japan

Peace Philosophy Centre

Quincy Institute

Rail of Hope

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group

Stop the War Coalition Philippines

United for Peace and Justice

Urinuri Peace Corp.

Veterans For Peace, Chapter 35

Veterans For Peace, Chapter 113-Hawai’i

Veterans For Peace – NYC Chapter 34

Veterans For Peace Phil Berrigan Memorial Chapter

Win Without War

Women Against War

Women Cross DMZ

Women Transforming Our Nuclear Legacy, NuclearWakeUpCall.Earth

World BEYOND War

World Resource Center

Young Christian Academy 기독청년아카데미

6.15공동선언실천 엘에이위원회

경기평화교육센터

대한민국 민족문학 연구회

도쿄민주실천연대

미주 함석헌 사상연구회

미주동포전국협회 (NAKA)

미주지역 5.18 광주민중항쟁 동지회

미주한미여성 평회넷웤

미주희망연대

민주시민네트워크

법치민주화를 위한 무궁화클럽

생명평화정의 전북기독행동

생명평화포럼 / Life and Peace Forum

시드니 평화의 소녀상 연대

시애틀늘푸른연대

애틀란타행동

이스크라21

일본군위안부할머니와함께하는마창진시민모임

자유언론실천재단  이사장

전교조전남지부

정상추 네트워크

진보 3.0

평택평화센터

한국에클레시아생명학연구원(ISEL)

한미 에큐메니칼 평화정의넷웤

한민족유럽연대 Solidarity of Korean people in Europe

한사상연구소

함석헌 사상연구회

흥사단 뉴욕지부

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