Joint Statement of U.S. Civil Society Groups

in Support of the Peace Process in Korea

 

 

December 6, 2018

 

2018 has been a year of historic change on the Korean Peninsula. The leaders of North and South Korea met three times, and President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also held their first summit in Singapore in June. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has invited Chairman Kim to visit South Korea, and President Trump has expressed willingness to meet Chairman Kim in a second summit. We welcome these positive developments for permanent peace in Korea.

 

In particular, we support the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration and the September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration signed between the leaders of South and North Korea, as well as the June 12 Singapore Summit Joint Statement signed between the leaders of the United States and North Korea.

 

These agreements lessen the danger of war on the Korean Peninsula and create a foundation for a lasting and stable peace regime. The Panmunjom and Pyongyang Declarations signed between the two Koreas opened the door to family reunions, civil society engagement, and concrete steps towards demilitarization. Likewise, the Singapore Joint Statement emphasized the “establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations,” away from war and hostility towards normal diplomatic recognition. We applaud the leaders of South Korea, North Korea and the United States, who, on the brink of nuclear war last year, boldly chose the path toward peace.

 

As concrete steps in the spirit of the Singapore Joint Statement, North Korea has:

•     Suspended its nuclear and missile tests, including destroying the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and inviting outside inspectors to verify that it has been destroyed;

•     Agreed to “permanently dismantle the Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and launch platform under the observation of experts,” as well as dismantle its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon if “the United States takes corresponding measures”; and

•     Returned the remains of fifty-five U.S. servicemen who had died there during the Korean War of 1950-1953.

 

On the other hand, the United States, thus far, has:

•     Temporarily suspended major war drills with the South Korean military.

 

While commendable, this U.S. action is insufficient to sustain the normalization process.

In line with the important steps North Korea has taken toward peace and denuclearization and in support of unprecedented peace-building engagement between North and South Korea - demilitarization of the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom, preparations to reconnect highways and railroad lines across the DMZ, and the establishment of a joint liaison office in the northern city of Kaesong - we urge the U.S. government to take the following steps as further confidence-building measures with North Korea:

 

1) Issue a joint declaration to end the Korean War and negotiate a Peace Treaty to replace the outdated and broken Armistice Agreement. The continuing state of war on the Korean Peninsula  is at the root of recurring war threats in Korea. In the Panmunjom Joint Declaration, the two Korean leaders declared as follows:

During this year that marks the 65th anniversary of the Armistice, South and North Korea agreed to actively pursue trilateral meetings involving the two Koreas and the United States, or quadrilateral meetings involving the two Koreas, the United States and China with a view to declaring an end to the war and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime.

 

Ahead of another summit with North Korea, the United States should commit to declaring an end to the Korean War and demonstrate a willingness to pursue a formal Peace Treaty. Only a genuine and verifiable Peace Treaty between the main parties to the Korean War and the Armistice Agreement can drastically reduce the risk of nuclear and conventional war in Korea. It is the foundation for lasting and stable peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

 

2) Lift broad-based U.S. sanctions against North Korea that harm the most vulnerable and ordinary Koreans as a concrete step toward establishing “new U.S.-DPRK relations.” Further, halt international pressure campaigns to isolate North Korea as this is contrary to the spirit of the Singapore Joint Declaration. 

 

3) Lift the travel ban on U.S.citizens from visiting North Korea. The ban blocks U.S. humanitarian aid projects in North Korea, impedes people-to-people exchanges, and prevents thousands of Korean-Americans, who have family members in North Korea, from visiting them.

 

4) Establish a liaison office in Pyongyang to facilitate diplomatic engagement between the two countries towards mutual trust and understanding.

 

Signed,

 

Endorsing U.S. Organizations (In alphabetical order, 133 total)

416 Global Networks—San Diego 세월호를 기억하는 샌디에고 사람들

416 Human Rights & Peace Global Network 416 인권 평화 해외연대

615 U.S. Midwest Committee 6.15 공동선언실천 미중부위원회

615 U.S. Seattle Committee 6. 15 공동선언실천 미국시애틀위원회

615 West Cost Committee 6.15 공동선언실천 미서부위원회

Action One Korea (AOK) Action One Korea (AOK)

Alliance for Global Justice

American Friends Service Committee

Atlanta SaSaSe 애틀란타 사람사는 세상

Baltimore Nonviolence Center

Brooklyn For Peace

Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security

Center for Human Rights & International Justice, Boston College

Channing and Popai Liem Education Foundation 임창영 • 이보배 교육재단

Chicagoans in Solidarity with Sewol Ferry Victims and Families 세월호를 잊지 않는 시카고 사람들의 모임

Citizen for Equality Peace And Liberation 평등 평화 해방을 위한 시민연대

Coalition for Peace Action

Coalition of Civic Action for Cheonahnham’s Truth in U.S.A. 천안함범시민사회단체대책협의회 미주본부

Coalition of Koreans in America 미주희망연대

Codepink

Community Organizing Center

Concerned Citizens for Change

Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety

D.C. Methodist Church 들꽃교회

Deoham Korean American Community Church 시카고 더함교회

Environmentalists Against War

FCNL Peterborough Advocacy Team

Fight For Voter’s Rights(F4VR) 유권자 권리를 소중히 여기는 사람들의 모임(유권소)

FreedomTrainers

GABRIELA USA

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space

Good Friends USA

Granny Peace Brigade, New York

Greater Brunswick PeaceWorks

Green Party of the United States Peace Action Committee

Hawai'i Peace and Justice

HOBAK (Hella Organized Bay Area Koreans) 호박

Hope Coalition of New York 희망세상 뉴욕모임

Houston Sewol HAMBI 휴스턴 세월호 함께 맞는 비

INOCHI/NoWarWithNorthKorea.org

Institute for 21st Century International Relations 21세기 연구원

International Action Center

Kaua`i Alliance for Peace and Social Justice

Kazakh Foundation

Korea Culture & Heritage Society of LA 민족문제연구소 엘에이지부

Korea Culture & Heritage Society of NY 민족문제연구소 뉴욕지부

Korea is One 우리는하나

Korea Peace & Unification Action of Boston 평화와 통일을 여는 보스턴 행동

Korea Policy Institute 코리아정책연구소

Korean American Alliance for Peace on the Korean Peninsula 한반도 평화를 위한 미주 동포연대

Korean American Civic Action Atlanta 애틀란타행동

Korean American National Coordinating Council 재미동포전국연합회

Korean Americans for Social Justice - Chicago 시카고 한인 민주연대

Korean Book Club of Riverside 리버사이드 한마음 독서회

Korean Peace Alliance 진보의 벗

LA SASASE 엘에이 사람사는세상

LEPOCO Peace Center (Lehigh-Pocono Committee of Concern)

Maine Green Independent Party

Maine War Tax Resistance Resource Center

Malu 'Aina Center for Nonviolent Education & Action

Massachusetts Peace Action

Maui Peace Action

Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office

Military Families Speak Out

minjok.com 민족통신

Minjung Solidarity of New York 민중당 뉴욕연대

Missy 100 부정재산 환수 특별법 지지 해외 미씨백

Mundo Obrero / Workers World Party

Muslim Peace Fellowship

NANUM Corean Cultural Center 우리문화나눔회

National Association of Korean Americans 미주동포전국협회

National Coalition to Protect Student Privacy

National Institute of Hahm Seokhon Philosophy, DC, Indianapolis, NY, Hahm Seokhon Peace Center 함석헌사상연구회

Network for Peace and Unification in USA 평화와 통일을 위한 연대

New Hampshire Peace Action

New Hampshire Veterans for Peace

New Jersey Peace Action

New York Campaign for Peace in Korea

NJ Sewol Truth Seekers 뉴저지 416 진실찾기

Nodutdol for Korean Community Development 노둣돌

North Carolina Peace Action

Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

Ohana Ho`opakele

One Corea Now One Corea Now

One Heart for Justice 샌프란시스코 공감

Out of My ultari Now 소식지 ‘내 울타리 밖에서는 지금’

Oversea Supprers Korean School in Japan 일본 우리학교 지키는 재외동포모임

Pan-Korean Alliance for Reunification in USA 조국통일범민족연합 재미본부

Party for Socialism and Liberation - New Hampshire

Peace & Prostirity Forum 평화와 번영 포럼

Peace Action

Peace Action Maine

Peace Action Michigan

Peace Action New York State

Peace Action Wisconsin

Peace21.org 내일을 여는 사람들

Peaceworkers

Peoples Budget Campaign

Philadelphia Committee for Peace and Justice in Asia

Popular Resistance

Presbyterian Church (USA)

Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea

PressArirang.org 프레스아리랑

Progressive Asian Network for Action (PANA)

Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Resources for Organizing and Social Change

S.F. Rohjjang lovers 노짱러버스

Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

San Diego Central Committee of the Peace and Freedom Party of California

SD SASASE 샌디에고 사사세

Seattle Evergreen Coalition 시애틀 늘푸른 연대

SolidarityINFOService

Support Committee for Korean Prisoners of Conscience in U.S. 미주 양심수 후원회

The Moon keeper in America 미주문지기

The Peace Committee of the Korean Association of the United Methodist Church 한인연합감리교회 평화위원회

The Peace Farm

The United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society

TRACE Collective (Transracial Adoptees Creating Empowerment)

Tri-Valley CAREs

United for Justice with Peace Boston

United for Peace and Justice

United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee

US Peace Council

Veterans For Peace

Veterans For Peace - NYC Chapter 034

War Prevention Initiative

Washington DC Remembers Sewol 워싱턴 세월호를 기억하는 들꽃

Western States Legal Foundation

Women Against War

Women Cross DMZ

Woori Madang Chicago 우리마당 시카고

World BEYOND War

Young Korean Academy of New York 미주 흥사단 뉴욕지부

 

미국외 해외지역 단체( 북미, 유럽, 아시아 Total 19)

416 Canlelights JKT 416 자카르타 촛불행동

416 Global Networks 416 해외연대

416 Global Networks - Ottawa 세월호를 기억하는 오타와사람들

416 Global Networks - Toronto 세월호를 기억하는 토론토 사람들

416 Network Paris 416 해외연대 파리

Edmonton Hope Network 에드먼튼 희망실천 네트워크

Gangjeong UK

Ireland Candlelight Action 아일랜드 촛불행동

June 15 Joint Oceania Committee For One COREA 615 공동선언 실천 대양주위원회

Korean New Zealanders for a Better Future 더 좋은 세상 뉴질랜드 한인모임

National Institute of Hahm Seokhon Philosophy, London, UK headquarters 함석헌사상연구회- 영국대표부

PEN International San Miguel Center, Mexico

Pika 피카

RemeberingSewol UK

Remenbering Sewol Germany (NRW) 세월호 참사를 기억하는 재독 NRW모임

SASASE OTTAWA 사람사는세상 오타와

Solidarity of Korean People in Europe 한민족 유럽연대 (독일)

STOP the War Coalition Philippines

Vienna Culture Factory 비엔나 문화 제작소

 

개인 연명(총 59명)

Ann Wright, Retired U.S. Army Colonel, Veterans for Peace

Ayumi Temlock, New Jersey Peace Action

Barbara Nielsen, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, United States Section

Bok-dong Yoon, Korean Adoptees of Hawai'i

Bonnie J Ruggiero, Elder, Presbyterian Church USA

Caleb Carman, Bard College

Carolyn Cicciu, New Hampshire Peace Action

Charles Ryu, Pastor, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Middletown, New York

Choon Shik Lim, Regional Liaison for East Asia, Presbyterian Church USA

Christine A. DeTroy, Women's Intenational League for Peace & Freedom, Maine Branch

Clara Lee, PhD student, University of Colorado Boulder

Danielle Saint Louis, Executive Director, Brooklyn Zen Center

Debbie Kim, Gangjeong UK

Debbie Leighton, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Diane Nahas, LaGuardia Community College

Donna San Antonio, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, Lesley University

Frederick Carriere, Research Professor, Syracuse University

Gar Smith, Co-founder, Environmentalists Against War

Garrett Walker, Party for Socialism and Liberation, New Hampshire

Haeinn Woo, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

Hwanhee Kim, George Washington University

Jacquelyn Wells, Entrepreneur/Artist, Oohjacquelina

Jacqui Deveneau, Senior Advisor, Maine Green Independent Party

James Nordlund, Communications Director, National Action Network, Kansas

Joan Roelofs, New Hampshire Peace Action

John Arnold, Alliance for Global Justice

John Bernard, Maine People's Alliance

John Feffer, Director of Foreign Policy in Focus, Institute for Policy Studies

John MacDougall, Veterans for Peace

John Raby, Nuclear weapons Working Group of New Hampshire

Joyce Bressier, Stony Point Center/Community of Living Traditons

Judith Bello, United National Antiwar Coalition

Katherine Griswold, Presbyterian Church USA

Kilsang Yoon, President, Korean American National Coordinating Council

Lawrence Wittner, Professor of History Emeritus, State University of New York/Albany

Leif Rasmusen, Student, Point Arena High School

Lindis Percy, Co-Founder, Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases

Liza Maza, Chairperson Emerita, GABRIELA, Women’s alliance Phils.

Marcus Christian Hansen, Board member, New Hampshire Peace Action

Martha Bartlett, Presbyterian Church USA

Martha Spiess, Chair, Peace Action Maine

Michael Eisenscher, National Coordinator Emeritus, U.S. Labor Against the War

Mike Hearington, Veterans for Peace

Ngovi KITAU, First Kenyan Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2009-2014)

Noam Chomsky, Professor, University of Arizona

Pamela Richard, Peace Action Wisconsin

Paul Shannon, Co-coordinator, Peoples Budget Campaign

Pete Shimazaki Doktor, Hawai’i Okinawa Alliance

Rajendra Sahai, Institute for Critical Study of Society

Reverend Jesse L Jackson Sr, Founder and President of Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Roger Leisner, Women in Black

Seri Lee, Chicago Organizer, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum

Sofia Woman, Northeast Regional Executive Committee Member, American Friends Service Committee

Sungju Park-Kang, Adjunct Professor, University of Turku, Finland

Tae Lim, PhD student, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Theodore Wilcox, Peace Action and Education

Unzu Lee, Co-convener, Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea

William H. Slavick, Pax Christi Maine

Young Han, Dr. Of Ministry Candidate, Claremont School of Theology