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