Dear Friends,
After a decade of founding and leading Women Cross DMZ, I am stepping down at the end of this year, and as of January 1, 2025, my Co-Director, Cathi Choi, will become our second-ever Executive Director. I will join the Institute for Policy Studies as a Fellow and continue to serve as Strategic Advisor to Women Cross DMZ.
Some of you may be wondering why I’m stepping down now, at this crucial moment for democracy in South Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Here’s my answer: We’ve built a solid organization and our movement is growing, and now we have a smart, courageous and inspiring leader — our beloved Cathi Choi — who can take us to new heights. As a member of a divided family, Cathi understands the trauma of the unresolved Korean War. And as a Harvard-trained lawyer who has defended victims of police brutality and workers’ rights, she brings the intellect and determination needed to lead us through the many challenges that lie ahead. I also believe strongly in the leadership and power of the next generation, which is crucial for our continued success.
On a personal note, I need to devote more time to my family, especially my daughter, who has been with me throughout this journey, including on the trip to Pyongyang when Hye-Jung Park and I went to negotiate the DMZ crossing. And frankly, my nervous system also needs to rest.
Though deeply meaningful, this work is extremely hard on the body, mind, and spirit. As anyone who has led a nonprofit can attest, the demands are endless. But it has also been challenging, to say the least, to be on the receiving end of racist, misogynistic, and McCarthyist attacks for taking a stand for peace and justice. While I consider it a badge of honor to have been banned from entering South Korea — now twice — by authoritarian leaders Park Geun-hye and Yoon Seok-yeol, it’s still painful not to be able to visit my family, friends, fellow activists, parents’ burial site and birthplace.
What has sustained me all these years, however, is all of you — our diverse, multi-generational transnational movement — working together for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in our world. I’ve been blessed to work with the most dedicated and savvy staff and board who make Women Cross DMZ a small but truly powerful advocacy and organizing force. I’m deeply moved by our community of advisors and allies who have shared analyses, insights and opportunities, and to our hundreds of generous donors who have sustained our grassroots, women-led movement for years — some for a decade. And I am deeply grateful for the extraordinary pro bono legal support from Steptoe LLP, and for IT/digital security from Tiny Gigantic.
Challenging a 70-plus-year-old state narrative that has kept the Korean War as the United States’ oldest, ongoing war has indeed been a herculean task. But together, we have made an indelible impact, and I believe under Cathi’s leadership we will continue to make waves.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out my dream — literally — that women will end the Korean War. It has been my honor to lead and grow Women Cross DMZ and help midwife two trailblazing collaborations with our feminist partners, the Korea Peace Now! campaign and the Feminist Peace Initiative.
None of this would have been possible without the faith and support of each of you. Your belief in this movement has strengthened our global, peace-loving community, one that dares to envision a brighter future for all. In just the past few weeks, since Yoon’s martial law declaration, our team has proven its resilience, swiftly mobilizing to provide incisive analysis in global media and organizing grassroots actions nationwide. I am confident that under Cathi’s leadership, Women Cross DMZ will remain the leading voice for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Please join me in supporting this work by making a donation today.
Like the generations of courageous Korean Americans who came before me, I will always be part of the movement for Korean independence, peace, and reunification — the movement that sparked my political activism and continues to fuel my fire brightly.
‘Til our next action together…
With deep gratitude and in friendship,
Christine Ahn
Dear Friend,
On Tuesday, Yoon Suk Yeol issued a grave and serious threat to South Korea’s democracy.
By declaring martial law, South Korea’s president attempted to quash dissent, endangering the safety of ordinary people as well as peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The National Assembly voted swiftly to revoke the declaration and thousands of protesters took to the streets, forcing Yoon to rescind his decision.
In the days since, Women Cross DMZ has issued a statement and provided analysis in the media:
We have also led and joined grassroots rallies across the country, from Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, all the way to Honolulu.
On Monday, we participated in the webinar “What Does the Trump Presidency Mean for the Korean Peninsula?” and discussed Trump and Yoon’s militaristic policies, the current U.S. legislative landscape, and the then-looming threat of martial law in South Korea. Tomorrow (Dec. 7), we’ll be on WBAI radio at 1pm ET for a roundtable discussion on Korea. On Sunday (Dec. 8), we’re co-sponsoring the webinar, “Martial Law Interrupted: Views from South Korea.” Follow more coverage of our analysis here, including an op-ed tomorrow in USA Today.
We are fighting back, educating, and building our mass grassroots movement of people power!
But, we need your support to continue. Here are some things you can do TODAY:
Thank you for supporting this movement for peace and democracy!
In peace,
Cathi Choi
Dear Friend,
We are at a moment of crisis and opportunity.
Although there is much uncertainty about how the next administration will impact U.S. foreign policy, Women Cross DMZ is well-positioned to pivot our grassroots movement — either to prevent a new hot war or to engage with policymakers to ensure a sustainable peace. As we brace ourselves for the next administration, we know that it is crucial for Women Cross DMZ to remain strong during this period. In advance of Giving Tuesday, please donate to support our work.
Here’s what one of our funders said about our impact:
“Five years ago, congressional advocacy on Korea peace issues simply did not exist. Now, there is a thriving coalition of groups who legislatively promote ending the war, reuniting divided families, and using diplomacy to roll back the North Korean nuclear weapons program. Women Cross DMZ helped build this robust activist infrastructure, which is now in place to address future moments of crisis and possibility.” — John Carl Baker, Nuclear Field Coordinator and Senior Program Officer, Ploughshares Fund
Our many accomplishments in the last year — which you can read about in Women Cross DMZ’s 2023-2024 Annual Report — reflects the enormous strides we have made toward peace, made possible thanks to your support: building a feminist peace movement; growing grassroots political power; changing the narrative on the Korean War; healing intergenerational trauma; and cultivating Korea Peace Champions in Congress.
Next year will mark an exciting new chapter for Women Cross DMZ, as Cathi Choi will become Executive Director in January 2025. Christine Ahn will transition into a strategic advisor role, and become a Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.
Cathi plans to expand Women Cross DMZ’s visibility and reach, and cultivate a new generation of Korea peace activists for the long-term viability of our global peace movement.
In this next chapter, we will need your continued support to ensure that Women Cross DMZ can meet this moment and play a central role to end this longest U.S. war. Your tax-deductible contribution, in whatever amount is meaningful to you, ensures we can effectively respond to today’s global challenges. Donate here.
To find out more about what we’ve accomplished and what we’re planning in the year ahead, read our Annual Report.
Again, thank you for your support.
In peace,
Women Cross DMZ
Dear Friend,
As the November election approaches, many of us are anxious about how the outcome will affect the many pressing issues facing our country, including the issue of Korea peace.
We’ve previously outlined how the Trump and Biden administrations affected U.S.-North Korea relations. Most recently, WCDMZ Co-Director Cathi Choi speculated on what a Kamala Harris presidency would mean for Korea peace in an op-ed published by The National Interest.
“A majority of people in the United States still support diplomatically engaging with North Korea to reduce tensions and avoid military confrontation. Diplomatic engagement is not ‘cozying up’ to North Korea; rather, it is the prerequisite for peaceful coexistence and averting nuclear war. No amount of militarized escalation or sanctions will resolve the security crisis on the Korean Peninsula. We must instead maximize our efforts for diplomacy.” — Cathi Choi
New Korea Peace Champions: In better news, in the last two months we have had several new Korea Peace Champions! Thanks to the constituents of Reps. Donald Davis (D-NC-1), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), James C. Moylan (R-GU-At Large), and Melanie A. Stansbury (D-NM-1) who helped make this happen! H.R.1369 now has 48 co-sponsors. Please help us get to 50!
Bay Area Crossings Screening: Thanks to everyone who attended the recent screening of Crossings, which was hosted by UC Berkeley’s Center for Korean Studies on September 20. We were so heartened by the turnout, and the attendees who asked thoughtful questions of filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem and WCDMZ Co-Director Christine Ahn while expressing their deep desire to heal the trauma of the Korean War. Special thanks to Professor Jinsoo An and the staff at the Center for Korean Studies for making this screening a success! Crossings is available to stream on Prime Video. You can always organize your own screening!
WCDMZ Bay Area Dinner: The night before, we also held a special dinner with many of our closest friends and supporters in the Bay Area to introduce Cathi Choi as part of the new leadership of WCDMZ. We were so moved by the outpouring of love for our movement.
Feminist Peace and the Diaspora: How are grassroots, women-led, anti-war movements challenging U.S. foreign policy? Read “A Conversation on the Role of Diaspora in Feminist Peace Movements,” with Christine Ahn and WCDMZ Board Member Marie Berry, an Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and Director of the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy, published in The Brown Journal of World Affairs.
Upcoming Events: Please join us for these upcoming events…
Support the Korea Peace Movement: Show your support for Korea peace with one of our t-shirts, sweatshirts, or hoodies, available here. All money raised will support Korea Peace Now!, our U.S.-based movement for peace in Korea led by Women Cross DMZ. Art by Peter Holland and lazy blender.
In peace,
Christine Ahn & Cathi Choi
Co-Directors