Reflections on Korea Peace Advocacy Week
Written by Andrew Kim and E. Isaac Lee
Several weeks ago, we found ourselves campaigning alongside over two hundred others during the sixth annual Korea Peace Advocacy Week, a week where advocates across the country met with Members of Congress to discuss their views on peace in the Korean peninsula. Despite the event’s virtual nature, the passion of its participants could easily be felt from dozens of Zoom meetings.
For youth activists like us who recently entered the field, it was an eye-opening experience starkly contrasted from its tragic history. It led us to the front of the United Nations Headquarters, where we gave speeches and demonstrated our support for peace on the Korean Peninsula. It allowed us to witness the passage of the Divided Families Reunification Act.
It also reminded us of our own history, as we have family members who personally experienced the war and the ongoing separation. While it affected them in different ways, there’s one distinct story of a Korean grandfather adhering to “humanism” - making choices based on empathy and humanity, not on what’s “intelligent” or related to a political agenda.
In the same way, we found that the history of Korean peace is one where progress towards ideological goals often supersedes the needs of the people on the ground.
Past Efforts for Korean Peace
Numerous efforts have been made for a permanent peace between the North and South, but disagreement has plagued the process. Of note are the Four-Party Talks in the late 1990s, and the Six-Party talks in the 2000s. The recent series of meetings between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un gave some hope for progress. The 2018 North Korea–United States Singapore Summit did result in a declaration to build a peace regime and denuclearize the peninsula as a whole.
This too came to an abrupt end after the Hanoi 2019 Summit. Key disagreements over disarmament emerged, including the failure of a deal involving the closure of a North Korean nuclear facility in exchange for the lifting of sanctions - a familiar pattern.
The Critical Role of Citizen Advocacy
It is encouraging that citizens are creating opportunities for peace where official talks have stalled. Our window was the Korea Peace Advocacy Week, where we lobbied for state representatives to co-sponsor multiple bills. There were no qualifications required, leading to incredible diversity in age and race.
Soon after, we joined a rally in New York in front of the UN Headquarters, with slogans of “Peace Treaty Now” and “End the Korean War.” Under a glaring sun, we gave speeches alongside many others next to the Isaiah Wall. It wasn’t a long demonstration, but it was an important one. We came together for a single shared purpose and left knowing we weren’t alone.
The most significant of the bills we advocated for was H.R. 3446 (Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act). This bill follows a previous resolution (H.R. 152) to end the Korean War, introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna. It specifically calls for a clear roadmap for a permanent peace agreement, the establishment of liaison offices, and establishing criteria with North Korea that will allow for family reunions.
The bill pushes for peace because of the ticking clock that is Korean family reunion. The window of opportunity for reunion is closing, especially for family members that are reaching advanced age. The bill also points out that, by establishing a formal peace, the US can gain trust with North Korea - eventually setting the seeds that could lead to actual denuclearization.
The US’s priority for the disarmament of the North may be a prime case for the “humanism” we mentioned earlier. Officials within the federal administration, such as former national security advisor John Bolton, were against concessions towards the North Korean government, such as lifting sanctions. This attitude, while also expecting North Korea to denuclearize with little assurances, has been unhealthy for negotiations.
These kinds of decisions place disarmament over peace and people, specifically Koreans seeking family reunion and aid. This pursuit of issues over people has stifled any meaningful progress towards permanent peace, and in a way defeats the purpose of that mission.
The steps leaders on both sides of the Pacific have taken is undeniable, and may have been important to realizing this dream of peace. However, where these efforts fail, it’s important to recognize the efforts of citizens and volunteer organizations in carrying that dream forward.