Korea Report

[NOTICE] Korea Report Suspends Publication

2021-02-21T10:32:00.002-05:00

[ NOTICE ]

Korea Report blog is no longer being published (unless for urgent or special updates) as relevant information and resources abound in various social media platforms, but will remain as an archival resource. Thank you for your interest and support through these years.

With Regards,

HK Suh

George Ogle (1929-2020)

2020-11-16T11:40:00.001-05:00

R.I.P. Rev. George Ogle, an American missionary and advocate for human rights in South Korea, who was deported from South Korea by the Park Chung Hee dictatorship in 1974 because he prayed for the political prisoners who were executed on trumped-up charges (I believe this photo was taken when he was being taken to the airport during his deportation). His wife, Dorothy Ogle, is a strong advocate for peace in the Korean Peninsula.

August 15: Korea's Liberation?

2020-09-02T09:21:00.001-04:00

August 15, 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from the Japanese colonial rule, yet it was not true independence as Korea was denied independent, self-government (as promised by the Allies during the wartime summits, and suggested on the US postage stamp shown above), but rather was suddenly divided arbitrarily in half without Koreans’ knowledge. 

As the Pacific War of the WW2 was nearing its end, overseas Korean independence fighters and activists — of all political persuasions — were preparing to join their compatriots in Korea to build a new post-colonial nation. Fearing potential reprisals on its citizens, the Japanese colonial authorities even asked prominent Korean socialist leader to form an interim authority to oversee peaceful transfer of power to the Koreans. 

But all these changed overnight because the US policymakers had a different design on Korea, based on US national interest and not in regard to the wishes of the Koreans. Rather than respecting Korea’s rightful quick transition to self-government upon liberation, the US wanted to establish its own sphere of influence in Korea (replacing Japan’s influence) in preparation for its own postwar planning for Asia. With the Soviet entry in the Pacific War and its quick defeat of the Japanese Army in Manchuria, it was logistically impossible for US forces to reach Korea before the Soviet forces to gain local control and influence. 

Hence came an impromptu decision by Washington more akin to traditional colonial land grab (when colonial powers drew arbitrary lines on the map for areas of control) and political expediency rather than the immediate and stated military objective of accepting Japanese surrender in Korea. The US abruptly proposed on August 10, 1945 to divide Korea into two occupation zones (one Soviet and another US), for which the Soviets agreed without objection in deference to wartime cooperation. Therefore, the US got to gain a foothold in Korea and at least control a half of Korea, even though its troops were no way near Korea. 

The euphoria of Korea’s liberation on August 15, 1945 turned into confusion, chaos and turmoil, as on one hand, Koreans were organizing local committees to peacefully disarm Japanese colonial forces and moving towards building Korean self-government, but on the other hand, the US forces arrived in Korea on September 8 (more than 3 weeks after Korea’s liberation), shot at welcoming Koreans, took over Japanese colonial government and military compounds, raised the US flag and not the Korean flag. So much could have been achieved towards Korean self-government in that three vital weeks. However, the US went on to disband and outlaw all independent-minded, pro-self government Korean entities and activities, and instead established a US military government in its zone, rehired colonial collaborators in the administration, and brought back Korean members of the dreaded Japanese colonial police force to harass the discontented and rebellious populace. Suddenly, the US forces were acting like new colonial overlords instead of liberators and guarantors of Korean independence.  

Instead of fostering quick Korean self-government, the stern US military government rule created a toxic environment of political violence and turmoil (assassinations of Korean political leaders and wanton massacres of those deemed to be leftists). Although Korean governments, albeit two separate and competing ones, were formed in 1948 (eerily reflecting the two separate occupation zones in 1945), the policies and impact of the US military government in Korea, more so than the dynamics of the Cold War or internal Korean political strifes, laid the seeds of turmoil, discontent and volatility that eventually led to the Korean War and the continuing division of Korea, 75 years and counting.

From Korean War Armistice to Peace Settlement

2020-07-29T10:04:00.001-04:00

Today marks the 67th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, and yet we still do not have the “final political settlement” inscribed in the agreement. So, technically the Korean War has not officially ended, lacking a peace treaty that will replace the armistice and the ensuing uneasy truce.

Political/diplomatic dynamics have drastically changed in many ways since 1953, with the end of the Cold War for example, but the logical players that need to initially seek the peace settlement in Korea are still the nations behind the sig￼natories of the armistice: the United Nations Command (the US), the Korean People’s Army (North Korea), and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (China).  

South Korea did not sign the armistice in protest at the time (but did it regardless by being a part of the UN Command, and under the US command), but made several subsequent peace agreements with North Korea and is committed to inter-Korean rapprochement. The US and China normalized relations in the 70s. China (and Russia) normalized relations and made peace with South Korea. Both sides of Korea have become members of the UN and the UN has distanced itself from the UN Command in Korea, making it defunct in reality and making the UN incapable of being an arbiter in the resolution of the “Korea question.” The only remaining foreign troops in Korea are the US troops. And the only relation that has not changed after all these years is between the US and North Korea. 

The talks between Washington and Pyongyang have again stalled, but they need to be resumed in light of the continuing uncertainty and volatility created by the absence of a peace treaty ending the Korean War. It is about time to put an official closure to the Korean War and chart a new path towards a meaningful peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula.

Some Afterthoughts on the “Parasite” Success

2020-02-13T10:41:00.002-05:00

1) Director Bong Joon-ho (and actor Song Kang-ho who portrays the main character of the film) was one of many artists arbitrarily blacklisted by the former, conservative government of Park Geun-hye for “leftist tendencies.” Yet it is Bong who elevated South Korean cinema to global recognition and fame through his films touching on social themes and realities. The Candlelight Revolution that led to the downfall of the Park government (through impeachment) helped open up creative freedom that led to “Parasite.”

2) The second speaker who unexpectedly (or inappropriately) spoke in length during the Oscar Best Picture acceptance speech was Miky (Mi-kyung) Lee, vice chair of the CJ Entertainment and Merchandising, the investor/distributor of the film. It was inappropriate that she thanked her brother Lee Jae-hyun, the CJ Group chair, who was charged several times and imprisoned for financial crimes. She is granddaughter of Samsung chaebol (congrelemerate) founder Lee Byung-chul. Though her interest in cinema and the arts has helped fund and distribute films like “Parasite” and bring it to international attention, it is ironic that a superrich tycoon who lives lavishly in Beverly Hills is pitching a film about inequality of wealth. Better to have yielded the speaking opportunity to Song Kang-ho who appeared in many of Bong's films.

3) Korea has 100 years of cinema history, with many notable works. The success of "Parasite" is a vindication of long overdue international recognition of the Korean cinema. Hopefully with the impact of “Parasite,” South Korea will produce more films that reflect creative visions of directors and independent filmmakers. More great works are to come, for sure. 

[An upcoming South Korean film “Emergency Declaration” deals with the abuses of the KCIA (Korea security/intelligence agency) during the repressive Park Chung-hee (Park Geun-hye's father) regime in the 70s and 80s.]

Trump's DMZ Crossing: Just a Photo-op or Opportunity for Progress?

2019-07-01T17:20:00.000-04:00

Photo 1: On June 30, 2019, Trump crosses the raised concrete strip representing the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) that divides Korea at Panmunjum (the Joint Security Area in the DMZ/Demilitarized Zone), becoming the first sitting US president to step foot on North Korea.

Photo 2: Kim Jong-un crosses the same line into South Korea (accompanied by South Korea's Moon Jae-in), becoming the first North Korean leader to do so, in April 2018.

Photo 3: South Korean college student Im Soo-kyung (who went to North Korea to participate in the World Youth Festival) crosses the line, at the same location, into South Korea in 1989, becoming the first Korean civilian to willfully cross that line (and not by accident, defection or espionage) since the Korean War ended in an armistice and the creation of the MDL/DMZ in 1953.

Symbolism matters in the DMZ, like the Berlin Wall. That concrete line in the DMZ, a highly recognizable -- and painful to all Koreans -- symbol of prolonged Korean division and the last vestige of the Cold War, is now casually crossed over -- by government/military officials and civilians on inter-Korean meetings or exchanges.

And history was made this past Sunday as Trump crossed the line, symbolically as a "peacemaker" (whatever his motivation may have been) in a business suit and not wearing the usual military attire that US presidents had done when visiting the southern side of the DMZ in the past. [Trump's overall antics aside, his unprecedented summits with Kim and this DMZ crossing showed a way besides the business-as-usual approach.]

But that casual crossing has not been the case always. In 1989, Im Soo-kyung (accompanied by Father Moon Kyu-hyun) risked long imprisonment in South Korea for crossing that line (she received five-year sentence for violating South Korea's draconian and archaic National Security Law), in a brave and unprecedented action to help bring about a breakthrough for peace and reunification of Korea.

With persistent efforts and sacrifices of many civilian activists like Im, the once-impenetrable wall dividing Korea began to crack and led to a series of inter-Korean rapprochement and cooperation towards negotiated settlement for peace in Korea.

Now, the US and North Korea must transcend historical hostilities and animosities (and skepticism of cynics) and translate this historical moment into real progress towards negotiating a lasting peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula.

New Documentary: Korea -- The Never-Ending War

2019-05-01T10:12:00.002-04:00

This is the most comprehensive and insightful film documentary on the Korean War, covering its origins and its aftermath, with focus not only on the historical and geopolitical perspectives, but on its impact on ordinary civilians (refugees, separated families, the No Gun Ri Incident of massacre of civilians by US soldiers), and the legacy of the “unending war” on current tensions in the peninsula, including the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program.

Congressional Resolution Calling for Formal End to Korean War

2019-02-26T14:28:00.003-05:00

Reps. Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee and Andy Kim Introduce Resolution Calling for Formal End to Korean War

PRESS RELEASE: February 26, 2019

Washington, DC – As President Trump arrives to Hanoi, Vietnam, Rep. Ro Khanna, along with eighteen Democratic Members of Congress, have introduced a resolution calling for a final settlement of the Korean War, now officially in its 69th year.

The resolution -- which is backed by former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Jimmy Carter and a range of Korean-American and pro-diplomacy organizations -- urges the Trump Administration to provide a clear roadmap to achieve a final peace settlement while highlighting the importance of reciprocal actions and confidence-building measures between the parties.

“Historic engagement between South and North Korea has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to formally end this war,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “President Trump must not squander this rare chance for peace. He should work hand in hand with our ally, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, to bring the war to a close and advance toward the denuclearization of the peninsula.”

“I commend this important resolution that will help bring this nearly 70 year conflict to a close,” said President Jimmy Carter. “I have visited North Korea several times to talk with their leadership and study the best path forward for peace. Ending the threat of war is the only way to ensure true security for both the Korean and American people and will create the conditions to alleviate the suffering of the ordinary North Koreans who are most harmed by ongoing tensions.”

Co-led by prominent progressive Reps. Andy Kim, Barbara Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Deb Haaland, and Jan Schakowsky, the resolution calls on the Trump Administration to make greater efforts to include women in the peace process, citing the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 which Trump signed into law. Women’s rights icon Gloria Steinem, founder of the peace group Women Cross DMZ, published an op-ed in the Washington Post on Sunday in support of the resolution.

The resolution clarifies that ending the war does not necessitate a withdrawal of US troops from Korea or an acceptance of North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power. The resolution calls on the Administration to continue the repatriation of servicemember remains, and expand cooperation to achieve reunions of divided Korean and Korean-American families and facilitate people-to-people exchanges and humanitarian cooperation.

Rep. Khanna has been a consistent voice for diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. Shortly after Trump threatened “fire and fury” against North Korea, Khanna was joined by over 70 Congressmembers on his bipartisan “No Unconstitutional Strike on North Korea Act”, which would reinforce existing law prohibiting an unauthorized and unprovoked strike on North Korea. He has also been critical of those in both parties who have sought to restrict flexibility in negotiations, instead urging support for the diplomatic approach of our South Korean ally and its President, Moon Jae-in.

Rep. Khanna will travel to Atlanta next week to sit down with Pres. Carter to discuss developments on the Korean Peninsula and solicit guidance from the Nobel Laureate about how the next generation of policymakers can best pursue a pro-diplomacy agenda for America.

Current original cosponsors (18): Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan, Barbara Lee, Deb Haaland, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jan Schakowsky, Raúl Grijalva, Bobby Rush, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Tulsi Gabbard, Adriano Espaillat, Andy Kim, Rashida Tlaib, Judy Chu, José Serrano, Gwen Moore

The resolution is endorsed by organizations including the National Association of Korean Americans, Ploughshares Fund, Women Cross DMZ, Korean Americans in Action, United Methodist Church – Global Ministries, Win Without War, Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Just Foreign Policy, Beyond the Bomb, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

From Pyongyang and Washington to Hanoi

2019-02-25T10:42:00.001-05:00

The second US-NK summit is taking place -- of all places in the world -- Hanoi, Vietnam, where the US intervened and fought a brutal war, made peace, and then normalized relations. The US fought in Korea too, more than six decades ago, but never made peace with North Korea.

We now have a rare window of opportunity to move forward with a peace settlement in Korea and new relations. A cliche it may be, but let's "Give Peace a Chance."

(Photo courtesy of Nobel Women's Iniative which sent a delegation to Hanoi in support of peace settlement in Korea.)

Seoul selected as S. Korean city to co-host 2032 Olympics with North Korea’s Pyongyang

2019-02-15T15:01:00.001-05:00

Seoul has been selected as South Korea’s candidate city to bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics jointly with North Korea. On the afternoon of Feb. 11, the city of Seoul announced that it had been selected at a general meeting of Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) representatives at the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong Province as the South Korean city that will bid for the 35th Summer Olympics in 2032. Seoul had been in competition with Busan, but persuaded the representatives to favor it based on its symbolism as South Korea’s leading city, the competitiveness of its urban infrastructure, and its international capacity. READ MORE

South Korea to spend $16 billion in border areas with North Korea for next decade

2019-02-15T14:57:00.001-05:00

South Korea's government said on Feb 7 that it will spend 13.2 trillion won (S$15.9 billion) in border areas with North Korea for the next decade. The money, including 5.4 trillion won from the central government, 2.2 trillion won from local governments and 5.6 trillion won from the private sector each, will be spent on 225 projects in inter-Korea border areas by 2030.

The projects were aimed to establish foundation for inter-Korea exchange and cooperation, lay the groundwork for a balanced regional development, stimulate ecological peace tourism in border areas and expand social infrastructure, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. READ MORE

[Obituary] Former "Comfort Woman" and Human Rights Activist Kim Bok-dong

2019-02-15T14:54:00.000-05:00

Kim Bok-dong was born in 1926 in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. After completing the fourth grade of elementary school, she helped out with household chores until the age of 15. Her mother had told her stay close to home because “the times were strange.”

One day in 1941 – she can’t remember if it was the spring or the fall – Japanese people in yellow uniforms without rank badges came to her house, accompanied by her village leader and another official. Kim was told she needed to work for three years at a factory making army uniforms – and if she didn’t go, her family would be kicked out of their house and their property seized.

Figuring that it wouldn’t kill her to work at a factory, Kim told her mother she would go. At the age of 15, she was taken to Taiwan and then on to a Japanese military unit based in China’s Guangdong Province. How different her life would have been if she hadn’t gone with the Japanese back in 1941!
READ MORE

Soldiers Shake Hands in the DMZ

2018-12-12T09:55:00.000-05:00

Instead of pointing guns at each other, soldiers from North and South Korea shook hands at the demarcation line in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two sides of Korea. These sort of things happened only in imaginative Korean movies, but is now a solid reality. Hope this welcoming momentum of genuine peace continues and spills over to multilateral negotiations, agreements and implementations to ensure lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula.

Fact Check: This piece erroneously says the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was created in 1948. Actually, the 38th Parallel was the arbitrary boundary proposed by the U.S. for zonal occupation of liberated Korea at the end of WWII and accepted by the USSR in 1945 that remained as a boundary until the war broke out in 1950. The DMZ was created in 1953 as a part of the Korean War armistice agreement, which still is in effect pending a long-promised peace treaty.

"Produce Diplomacy": Another Sign of Warming Inter-Korean Relations.

2018-11-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

South Korea has airlifted 200 tons of famous tangerines from Jeju Island to North Korea in return for shipments of pine mushrooms by the North in September. Are we seeing a "Produce Diplomacy" at work? It is another sign of warming inter-Korean relations. READ MORE

A New Role for the United Nations Command in Korea?

2018-11-12T11:22:00.001-05:00

Is there a way for the United Nations Command, a vestige of the Korean War, to play a role in fostering the peace process in Korea? There should be, as it is awkward for the belligerent of the Korean War (the UN Command in Korea, led by US military) to remain unchanged after 65 years, at a time when both sides of Korea are now members of the United Nations. Shouldn't the UN revert to its intended role and be an arbiter of peace settlement in Korea? READ MORE (article by Tim Shorrck)

The above photo was taken prior to the current warming of inter-Korean relations, when tensions ran high with security alerts at Panmunjeom, situated within the Demilitarized Zone. Now, the scene is much less tense, as the two sides of Korea works to demilitarize the DMZ by demining the area, removing armed guard posts and heavy arms from the area.

Inter-Korean Sports Cooperation Bear Results

2018-11-12T11:12:00.002-05:00

South and North Korea agree to integrate respective branches of Taekwondo (natural thing to do as taekwondo is a universal Korean tradition that came way before the division of Korea) -- another fruit of inter-Korean rapprochement, along with the proposal for a joint bid for the 2032 Olympics.
Read more.

Inter-Korean Natural Gas Pipelines Envisioned

2018-10-26T06:06:00.002-04:00

Another positive development in the Korean Peninsula that will surely help in defusing tensions in the region, similar to the planned inter-Korean rail and road links, that may lead to the whole peninsula's direct linkage to the Eurasian landmass. READ MORE

Inter-Korean Military Cooperation Expands

2018-10-26T06:03:00.001-04:00

The two sides of Korea are moving forward rapidly and widely with the demilitarizing process in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), making the DMZ live up to its name for the first time since its inception in 1953. The next logical step is to officially end the Korean War by replacing the current armistice agreement with peace treaty, READ MORE

Inter-Korean Rapprochement Advances with Third Moon-Kim Summit

2018-09-19T14:23:00.001-04:00

Great progress towards (officially and mutually) ending the Korean War and a viable peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula has been achieved with the third inter-Korean summit between President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and Chairman Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Wide-ranging inter-Korean cooperation in military, economic, cultural/sports, and humanitarian affairs are in the works. Hopefully these developments will foster quicker Washington-Pyongyang and Tokyo-Pyongyang rapprochements.

Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 19, 2018 [Full Text]

Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea and Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea held the Inter-Korean Summit Meeting in Pyongyang on September 18-20, 2018.

The two leaders assessed the excellent progress made since the adoption of the historic Panmunjeom Declaration, such as the close dialogue and communication between the authorities of the two sides, civilian exchanges and cooperation in many areas, and epochal measures to defuse military tension.

The two leaders reaffirmed the principle of independence and self-determination of the Korean nation, and agreed to consistently and continuously develop inter-Korean relations for national reconciliation and cooperation, and firm peace and co-prosperity, and to make efforts to realize through policy measures the aspiration and hope of all Koreans that the current developments in inter-Korean relations will lead to reunification.

The two leaders held frank and in-depth discussions on various issues and practical steps to advance inter-Korean relations to a new and higher dimension by thoroughly implementing the Panmunjeom Declaration, shared the view that the Pyongyang Summit will be an important historic milestone, and declared as follows.

1. The two sides agreed to expand the cessation of military hostility in regions of confrontation such as the DMZ into the substantial removal of the danger of war across the entire Korean Peninsula and a fundamental resolution of the hostile relations.

① The two sides agreed to adopt the "Agreement on the Implementation of the Historic Panmunjeom Declaration in the Military Domain" as an annex to the Pyongyang Declaration, and to thoroughly abide by and faithfully implement it, and to actively take practical measures to transform the Korean Peninsula into a land of permanent peace.

② The two sides agreed to engage in constant communication and close consultations to review the implementation of the Agreement and prevent accidental military clashes by promptly activating the Inter-Korean Joint Military Committee.

2. The two sides agreed to pursue substantial measures to further advance exchanges and cooperation based on the spirit of mutual benefit and shared prosperity, and to develop the nation's economy in a balanced manner.

① The two sides agreed to hold a ground-breaking ceremony within this year for the east-coast and west-coast rail and road connections.

② The two sides agreed, as conditions ripe, to first normalize the Gaeseong industrial complex and the Mt. Geumgang Tourism Project, and to discuss the issue of forming a west coast joint special economic zone and an east coast joint special tourism zone.

③ The two sides agreed to actively promote south-north environment cooperation so as to protect and restore the natural ecology, and as a first step to endeavor to achieve substantial results in the currently on-going forestry cooperation.

④ The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of prevention of epidemics, public health and medical care, including emergency measures to prevent the entry and spread of contagious diseases.

3. The two sides agreed to strengthen humanitarian cooperation to fundamentally resolve the issue of separated families.

① The two sides agreed to open a permanent facility for family reunion meetings in the Mt. Geumgang area at an early date, and to promptly restore the facility toward this end.

② The two sides agreed to resolve the issue of video meetings and exchange of video messages among the separated families as a matter of priority through the inter-Korean Red Cross talks.

4. The two sides agreed to actively promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields so as to enhance the atmosphere of reconciliation and unity and to demonstrate the spirit of the Korean nation both internally and externally.

① The two sides agreed to further promote cultural and artistic exchanges, and to first conduct a performance of the Pyongyang Art Troupe in Seoul in October this year.

② The two sides agreed to actively participate together in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and other international games, and to cooperate in bidding for the joint hosting of the 2032 Summer Olympic Games.

③ The two sides agreed to hold meaningful events to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the October 4 Declaration, to jointly commemorate the 100th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement Day, and to hold working-level consultations toward this end.

5. The two sides shared the view that the Korean Peninsula must be turned into a land of peace free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, and that substantial progress toward this end must be made in a prompt manner.

① First, the North will permanently dismantle the Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch platform under the observation of experts from relevant countries.

② The North expressed its willingness to continue to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities in Yeongbyeon, as the United States takes corresponding measures in accordance with the spirit of the June 12 US-DPRK Joint Statement.

③ The two sides agreed to cooperate closely in the process of pursuing complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

6. Chairman Kim Jong-un agreed to visit Seoul at an early date at the invitation of President Moon Jae-in.

Reduction of Tensions in the Korean Peninsula

2018-06-25T15:43:00.000-04:00

Tension-reducing developments in the Korean Peninsula following the historic US-DPRK Summit (June 12, 2018, Singapore):

1) Suspension of joint US-South Korea military exercises
2) Return of remains of Korean War-era US war dead in North Korea
3) Suggestion of demilitarizing the DMZ
4) Talks of moving North Korean artillery installations away from the front.
5) Cancellation of anti-US rally in Pyongyang
6) Work underway to link railway between the two sides of Korea
7) Possible performance by North Korean musical group in Washington, DC in the fall

Korea Peace Advocacy Days

2018-06-20T16:02:00.000-04:00

More than 60 activists from 20 states gathered in DC for Korea peace advocacy days, sponsored by the Korea Peace Network, composed of U.S. peace organizations and Korean American civic organizations — on the day of the US-DPRK Summit in Singapore, a potential breakthrough in relations between the US and North Korea.

Activists held a day-long conference at the United Methodist Building on June 11,highlighted by a keynote speech by Congressman Ro Khanner. The group held a peace vigil in front of the White House, just few hours before the start of the Summit. Then on June 12, the participants visited the Congress to advocate for the peace process in the Korean Peninsula

Korean Americans Call for Genuine Peace Ahead of Kim-Trump Summit

2018-06-07T11:27:00.000-04:00

NEWS RLEASE

Ahead of the much-anticipated U.S.-North Korea summit scheduled to take place on June 12, Korean Americans are speaking out for an end to “seven decades of hostile relations” between the two countries and a “new era of peace.”

Joined by civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. and renowned social critic Noam Chomsky, 153 organizations across the United States and around the world released a joint statement today calling for a formal end to the Korean War and replacing the 1953 armistice with a permanent peace treaty to move towards establishing normal relations between the two countries.

HK Suh, Vice President of the National Association of Korean Americans, one of the forty-six Korean American organizations that initiated the joint statement, said, “Korean Americans want genuine peace on the Korean peninsula. The unresolved status of the Korean War has been at the root of the U.S.-North Korea conflict. It is our hope that when the leaders of the United States and North Korea meet in Singapore, they will pledge to sign a peace treaty and normalize relations.”

Christine Hong, of the Korea Policy Institute said, "North Korea has paved the way for this peace process to unfold, including by releasing three Korean Americans imprisoned for hostile acts in North Korea and dismantling its nuclear testing site in Punggye-ri. The time is ripe for Donald Trump to meet positive action with positive action, with the goal of creating a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and thereby setting a historic precedent for global disarmament."

Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., who endorsed the joint statement, said, “We are on the brink of resolving a seven-decade old conflict that almost turned into a nuclear war. Leaders in Washington should put aside partisan interests in the historic interest of global peace and resolve to support a peace agreement that will lead to a unified Korea and normalized relations between the United States and North Korea.”

The full text of the “Statement of Unity by Korean Americans and Allies on the Historic Inter-Korean Summit and the Upcoming U.S.-North Korea Summit” and list of endorsers can be viewed here: http://www.zoominkorea.org/statement-of-unity-on-the-upcoming-u-s-north-korea-summit/

Fast Progress on Inter-Korean Thaw After the Summit

2018-05-01T12:16:00.000-04:00

Fast progress on inter-Korean thaw after the summit:

1) Dismantling of provocative border propaganda speakers

2) Synchronizing time zone for the two sides of Korea -- benefitting upcoming inter-Korea exchanges and commerce

3) Working towards linking railway between the two sides, enabling future continous land trip from South Korea to Europe.

4) Talks of multiple unfied sports teams at the upcoming Asian Games

5) Talks of reviving inter-Korean liason/business office at the Kaesung industrial complex

6) Working to arrange reunion of separated families during the August 15 Libereation Day period

7) Upcoming high-level military talks to reduce military tension, including making the contested and volatile sea border area in the West Sea as "peace zone" for mutual fishing activities

And ---

-- Unprecedented 80% approval rating for President Moon after the summit

-- Extensive and transparent coverage of the summit in the North Korean state media

-- Big sigh of relief for Koreans, especially those living close to the border

The Breakthrough Moon-Kim Summit

2018-05-01T12:08:00.002-04:00

A picture speaks a thousand words .... Remarkable photo, among many, of the historic inter-Korean summit that took place at the Panmunjeom/Demilitarized Zone, symbolizing the will of the two sides of Korea to officially end the Korean War and to propel towards a long-lasting peace settlement in the peninsula.

The border crossings at the Panmunjeom reminds of the famous words "Whose land is this, if Koreans cannot move back and forth [between the south and the north] in their own land?" -- popularized after the artificial division of Korea after the World War II.

Now, Koreans have taken the bold initiative in formally ending the Korean War and breaking down barriers to a lasting peace settlement.

In normal times, all those wishing to cross the border line at the Panmunjeom need to get permission from the US commander in charge of the nominal Korean War-era UN Command role. The two Korean heads of state ignored that archaic protocol by casually stepping back and forth on the border line. In fact, during the summit, no US soldiers were in sight at the Panmunjeom.

Koreans have taken ownership of the narrative of their own future. The world should respect that and ensure that true peace prevails in the Korean Peninsula.

Spring Thaw in the Korean Peninsula

2018-04-02T10:47:00.000-04:00

Spring thaw brings a flurry of activities in the Korean Peninsula -- South Korean musicians and tae kwon do athletes performed in Pyongyang in good will cultural exchanges in the midst of renewed inter-Korean rapprochement, while Kim Jong-un chats with South Korea's K-Pop stars and explores further summit with Russia and Japan, all while the US-South Korea military exercises are taking place in and around South Korea. The third inter-Korean summit is taking place on April 27, followed by first-ever US-DPRK summit in May. Hope a lasting peace and security for all will come out of all these developments.