Just Released! Report on Women’s Rights in Korea
March 3, 2025
Posted in: Newsletters
Dear Friend,
To coincide with International Women’s Day, Women Cross DMZ has just released a new report, Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea, to shed light on the often overlooked consequences of Korea’s division on women’s lives.
The report — the result of years of research and collaboration among Korean women across borders — exposes the profound and persistent impact of the division system and ongoing militarization on women’s human rights.
Released to coincide with International Women’s Day, the 69th Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, and the 80th year of Korea’s division, the report highlights key issues — including the presence of U.S. military bases, the gendered consequences of landmines and unexploded ordnance, and the enduring trauma of family separation — through personal narratives and expert analysis.
Among the key findings:
- Human rights issues exacerbated by the 80-year division: Landmines and unexploded ordnance remnants in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) continue to cause significant harm to civilians, particularly women.
- Militarization’s gendered impact: The ongoing U.S. military presence in South Korea and the expansion of military bases have significant human rights implications, particularly for women living in military camptowns, where they experience systemic sexual violence and exploitation. Furthermore, the expansion of U.S. military bases has displaced local farming communities.
- The ongoing trauma of family separation: Millions of Korean families remain divided by the Korean War, with opportunities for reunification dwindling as separated family members age. The ongoing division has a particular impact on women who have borne the brunt of the emotional, social, and economic burdens of separation.
The report calls for a more comprehensive approach to human rights that prioritizes the needs and agency of the Korean people, and women in particular, and urges the two Koreas and the international community to take immediate action to address the gendered impacts of Korea’s ongoing division and to work toward sustainable peace on the peninsula.
Join our report launch webinar on Wednesday, March 5, at 5pm PT / 8 pm ET (Thursday, March 6, at 10 am KST). The event will offer Korean language interpretation and will feature report contributors and Korean women leaders:
- Youngmi Cho, Executive Committee Member, Christian Conference of Asia; and Former Executive Director, Korean Women’s Movement for Peace
- Lee Jung Ah, Standing Representative, Gyeonggi Women’s Association United
- Lee Jae Jung, National Assembly member, ROK
- Cathi Choi, Executive Director, Women Cross DMZ (moderator)
And on Saturday, March 8, at 1pm ET, Cathi Choi will join Ploughshares Fund for International Women’s Day: How Secure Aren’t We? alongside Elena Sokova, Executive Director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, and Dr. Emma Belcher, President of Ploughshares. RSVP here.
Join us in New York at the United Nations’ 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women!
Women Cross DMZ will be at CSW! Join us for two key events:
Wednesday, March 12 | Women and Families in Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Transnational Lessons from Asia & Latin America | 8:30am ET | Church Center for the United Nations, 777 UN Plaza (44th St. & 1st Ave), 10th Floor, New York
This joint session with Women Cross DMZ and the Education for Social Justice Foundation highlights the urgent need for accountability and global adoption of key Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) mechanisms, including UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the U.S. WPS Act. WCDMZ will also share research and analysis from the newly released report Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea. This event is free and open to the public. Register to attend here.
Thursday, March 13 | Launching the Feminist Peace Playbook: A Guide for Transforming U.S. Foreign Policy | 2:30-4:00 pm ET | Church Center for the United Nations, 777 UN Plaza East , 2nd Floor, New York City
Join us for the launch of the Feminist Peace Playbook, a comprehensive guide for movements, researchers, policymakers, philanthropists, and journalists, released by the Feminist Peace Initiative — led by MADRE, Women Cross DMZ, and Grassroots Global Justice Alliance — and the Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative at the University of Denver.
Women Cross DMZ on the Hill
Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act is Reintroduced!
On Wednesday, Rep. Brad Sherman and dozens of other co-sponsors reintroduced the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act. There’s no bill number yet, but in the meantime, check out the list of cosponsors and urge your Congressional representative to become a Korea Peace Champion here. Stay tuned for updates about our annual Korea Peace Advocacy Week!
Stop Politicians Profiting From War Act
Women Cross DMZ endorsed the Stop Politicians Profiting From War Act, introduced by Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib to prohibit Members of Congress, their spouses, and their dependent children from having any financial interests in any company that does business with the Department of Defense and banning them from trading defense stocks. Sign on to become a grassroots supporter here.
Upcoming Events
March 6 | KPNGN’s March National Meeting | 5pm PT/8pm ET
We will debrief the official reintroduction of the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act (PKPA) and share advocacy efforts to push the bill forward. RSVP here.
March 19 | The Far Right and the New Cold War: Transnational Organizing from Korea to the US | 2pm ET
University of Pennsylvania’s Asian American Across the Disciplines presents: The Far Right and the New Cold War: Transnational Organizing from Korea to the US in conversation with Cathi Choi, Executive Director of Women Cross DMZ. Hosted by Professor Mark Tseng-Putterman, Panda Express Postdoctoral Fellow in Asian American Studies in his course Yellow Peril, Red Scare: Cold War Asia in America. Please RSVP here to join us in person or register here to join by Zoom!
March 24 | New Hampshire Peace Action (NHPA) Peace & Justice Conversations: The Feminist Path to Peace in Korea | 7pm ET
How have women been leading the movement calling for a formal end to the Korean War? What does feminist leadership in peace movements look like? NHPA will hear from WCDMZ’s Director/Coordinator of Activism and Special Campaigns Echo and Communications Coordinator Solby on recent Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network activities and how Women Cross DMZ continues to advocate for peace in Korea and in the region, women’s leadership in the Korea peace process, and a feminist approach to U.S. foreign policy. RSVP for the online event here.
📚 READ: From the Education Committee:
- Preparations for US-North Korea talks ‘well underway’ in Washington: lawmaker considers the prospect of diplomatic talks between the new Trump administration and North Korea, with perspectives from South Korean lawmakers.
- Final witness examination cements case against Yoon reflects on Yoon Suk-yeol’s testimony at his impeachment trial and recommends that he be removed from office.
- Gender is, once again, determining the contours of South Korea’s most recent political upheaval. Why young South Korean men are at the forefront of the far right protests defending martial law and justifying authoritarianism, while leading the “national-flag brigade.”
Follow Korea Peace Now! on Bluesky! Say hello and check out our new account ✌️
🛍 Support the Korea Peace Movement: Show your support for Korea peace with one of our new tote bags, hats, baby onesies, and clothing, 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.
