National Gathering to End the Korean War Convenes in Washington, DC
March 2, 2020
Posted in: Press Releases
UPDATE (MARCH 4, 2020): Due to increasing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, this event has been postponed. Stay tuned for more details…
For immediate release:
March 2, 2020
Press contacts:
Kathleen Richards, Women Cross DMZ
National Gathering to End the Korean War Convenes in Washington, DC
Washington, DC—About 150 people — including activists, scholars, historians, and humanitarian aid workers — will convene in Washington, DC, on March 15-17, 2020, for a national gathering to call for an official end to the Korean War, which is now in its 70th year.
“70 Years Too Long: National Action to End the Korean War” will consist of a march and rally at the White House, the annual Korea Peace Network conference, a public forum with keynote address by noted Korean War historian Bruce Cumings, and advocacy visits with Congressional offices in support of House Resolution 152, which calls for an official end to the Korean War with a peace agreement. The events are being organized by several groups that advocate for peace on the Korean Peninsula, including the Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network, Peace Treaty Now, and the Korea Peace Network.
“As America’s so-called ‘Forgotten War,’ the Korean War has vanished from the consciousness of most Americans. Yet this unresolved war is the root cause of conflict, militarism, and nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula,” said Bruce Cumings, a professor of history at the University of Chicago and author of several books on modern Korean history. “The Korean War was responsible for quadrupling U.S. defense spending and inaugurating the U.S. military industrial complex, so when we talk about stopping US endless wars, we must first address the Korean War.”
“Ending the state of war between the U.S. and North Korea will go a long way toward improving humanitarian conditions in North Korea,” said Joy Yoon, co-founder of the nonprofit organization Ignis Community, which treats children with developmental disabilities in North Korea, and one of several authors of a recent report on the impact of sanctions on North Korea. “It’s important for Americans to understand that sanctions hurt some of the most vulnerable people in North Korea by preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid by organizations such as Ignis Community.”
“This gathering is an important reminder that many Americans, especially Korean Americans, want an end to this war,” said Hyun Lee, the US National Organizer for Women Cross DMZ and an organizer for the three-day events. “Their voices are often left out of the conversation, so it’s time that we listen.”
Schedule of events:
Sunday, March 15, 2020:
- 1-2:30 pm: “End All Endless Wars, Korea Peace Now!” March and Rally at the White House (open to the public)
Location: Lafayette Square, Pennsylvania Ave. NW & 16th St. NW, Washington, DC
Monday, March 16, 2020:
- 8:30 am-1:30 pm: Annual Korea Peace Network Conference (**please contact to attend)
Location: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, Washington, DC
- 1:30pm-4:30pm: “70 Years of War and Division: The Path to Peace with North Korea.” (open to the public)
Location: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 301 A St. SE, Washington, DC
- 1:30-2pm: Keynote address by Dr. Bruce Cumings
- 2-3:15pm: “70 Years of the Korean War”: intergenerational Korean American women dialogue. Speakers: Joy Lee Powell Gebhard; Aiyoung Choi, Women Cross DMZ; Grace Choi, Re-generational Movement; Minju Bae, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development; Yeonhee Kim, Korea Peace Now! Hawaii
- 3:30-4:30pm: “The Path to Peace”: panel on the challenges and opportunities for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between the US and North Korea. Speakers: Jessica Lee, Senior Research Fellow in the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute; Joy Yoon, Co-Founder and International Director of the Ignis Community; Erik Sperling, Executive Director of Just Foreign Policy; Catherine Killough, Advocacy and Leadership Coordinator of Women Cross DMZ
Tuesday, March 17, 2020:
- 9 am-5 pm: Korea Peace Advocacy (**closed to media)
Location: Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
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About Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network:
The Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network consists of eleven chapters in cities around the United States and is organized by Korea Peace Now! Women Mobilizing to End the War, a global campaign to educate, organize, and advocate for a Korea peace agreement by 2020. Women Cross DMZ, Nobel Women’s Initiative, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), and Korean Women’s Movement for Peace launched the campaign in March 2019.
About Peace Treaty Now:
Peace Treaty Now is a coalition of overseas Korean organizations working for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
About the Korea Peace Network:
The Korea Peace Network is an alliance of concerned civil society groups and individuals working on Korea issues. Its goals are to share information, organize joint activities of mutual interest, and work together for peacebuilding, human security, and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.
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