Dear Friend,
Every year, Korea Peace Advocacy Summer brings hundreds of people from across the country to meet with their members of Congress and advocate for legislation supporting peace in Korea. Participants join virtual and in-person meetings with members of Congress to share personal stories and urge members to support policies focused on Korea peace. In addition to the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, this year’s programming will include advocacy to challenge bloated U.S. military spending and justice for victims of militarized gender-based violence. Registration closes June 12. Register today!
This year marks 73 years since the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, making the Korean War the United States’ longest running overseas conflict. We must call for serious, urgent diplomacy in pursuit of a binding peace agreement to formally end the Korean War today. Join peace advocates across the country to share and strategize for this year’s advocacy summer!
Register ASAP to receive information about:
Finally, join our first KPNGN meeting of the summer this Thursday, June 11 at 5pm PT/8pm ET! We’ll discuss our Korea Peace Advocacy Summer and more! RSVP here. We will also resume our three-part Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network Orientation. The June orientation will feature a Q&A session on the movement and political updates. Please stay from 9 pm ET to 10 pm ET after the June KPNGN meeting.
Power Hour for Korea Peace | Virtual Events | June 22 at 12 pm ET and 8 pm ET
Join our first program of 2026 Korea Peace Advocacy Summer! We’re hosting two Online Power Hour Phone-Banking Sessions on Monday, June 22 at 12 pm ET and Monday, June 22 at 8 pm ET. We will also organize in-person and virtual meetings with congressional offices according to constituents’ availability. Registration closes on June 12. Sign up to secure your spot today!
Expanding the Public Interest Toolbox: Litigation and Beyond at the Justice in Action Conference | Fordham Law School, New York City | June 17 at 1:45-3pm ET
Some of the most transformative victories for Asian American and immigrant communities never saw the inside of a courtroom-they came through transactional work, policy advocacy, and coalition-driven campaigns. Building on earlier sessions about partnerships between lawyers and community organizers, this session examines how lawyers can support community organizing using a range of legal strategies. WCDMZ Executive Director Cathi Choi and other speakers will draw on their own practice to discuss how and when to deploy each of these tools in service of community power. Through case studies and discussion, participants will leave with a broader and more flexible understanding of what community lawyering can look like. RSVP and learn more here.
Webinar: “America First” in the Asia Pacific: Debriefing Michelle Steel’s Nomination | Virtual Event | Wednesday, June 24 at 5pm PT/8pm ET (June 25 at 9am KST)
Join us for a webinar on the nomination of Michelle Park Steel for U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. We’ll hear from speakers Sandy Shan (Justice Is Global), Mark Tseng-Putterman (New York University), Youngmi Cho (Sejong Cyber University), Goo Lee (Evergreen Coalition), and moderator Cathi Choi (Women Cross DMZ) on Steel’s political record and potential influence as next U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea on the prospects for Korea peace. RSVP here.
As Congresswoman, Steel took a staunchly conservative, hardline approach to China and North Korea, including her firm opposition to efforts to end the Korean War. Additionally, in her reelection campaigns, Asian American and immigrant advocates criticized Steel for promoting divisive rhetoric and weaponizing inflammatory “McCarthyist” imagery. Speakers will discuss Steel’s nomination as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, the implications of her track record on Korea peace and nomination in the context of current global events – including the May 2026 Xi-Trump summit.
July 26, 2026 at 5 pm | Armistice to Peace Rally | Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC
This year marks 73 years since the United States and North Korea signed the Korean Armistice Agreement, which temporarily halted but did not formally end the Korean War. This unresolved war has kept families separated and is the root cause of tensions on the peninsula. Rally with us at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC and join our call to end the Korean War! Everyone is welcome to join.
From the Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network Education Committee:
80 Groups to Congress: Trump’s Astronomical Military Spending Requests Should Be Stopped in Committee. Women Cross DMZ joined Public Citizen, CODEPINK, and dozens of other organizations to demand that Congress reject increases to the Pentagon’s budget in the upcoming 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
✌️Follow Women Cross DMZ and Korea Peace Now! on Instagram! Say hello and check out our accounts!
🛍 Support the Korea Peace Movement: Show your support for Korea peace with one of our tote bags, hats, baby onesies, and clothing, available here. All funds 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,
Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network
Dear Friend,
Our April KPNGN meeting is happening on Thursday, April 9 at 5pm PT/8pm ET! We’ll share past and upcoming activities in our movement: come ready to share updates! We’ll also resume our three-part Orientation with a Korean War 101 presentation provided by the Education Committee. RVSP here.
Thank you to everyone we met in Seattle, Washington DC, and NYC! This past weekend, KPNGN members mobilized at No Kings Protests in NYC, Washington DC, and across the country, joining millions of people around the country to protest immigration crackdowns, war, and authoritarianism.
In NYC, we held our parallel event at the UN 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), “Social Healing through Advocacy: Women’s Leadership in Historical Redress.” WCDMZ Executive Director Cathi Choi (moderator), WCDMZ Board Chair and scholar Ji-Yeon Yuh, MADRE Senior Director of Advocacy and Policy Diana Duarte, legal scholar Miyoko Pettit-Toledo, and Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative Program Manager Carly Paul explored women-led efforts to address historic wrongs through advocacy, legal recourse, community organizing, and creative practices across Korea, Haiti, Iraq, Colombia, and Guatemala.
In Washington DC, we organized a strategic planning retreat with our partner organizations in the Korea Peace Network where we cultivated a new path forward for a peace-first policy and legislative advocacy strategy to meet the current political moment. Partners included Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network, Women Cross DMZ, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, United Methodist Church Global Ministries, and the American Friends Service Committee.
And in Seattle, we attended the University of Washington’s Partition & Solidarity Symposium on March 6. WCDMZ Executive Director Cathi Choi spoke at the Anticolonial Struggles in the Colonial Present panel on “Women’s Rights Under Division: Challenging U.S. Forever War and Militarism in Korea.” We also held a spirited Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network regional gathering with local community members and grassroots organizers.
Thank you again and see you at our next programming!
From the Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network Education Committee:
The Case for Enabling Nongovernmental Engagement with North Korea. This article argues for opening opportunities for humanitarian engagement with North Korea and discusses how U.S.-based NGOs are currently being blocked from engaging by administrative restrictions.
April 23 at 8 pm ET | | KPNGN Faith-Based Caucus Presents Korean Christian Zionism: History, Theology, and Its Impact on Peace in Korea | Virtual Event
The Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network Faith-based Caucus will host a learning and discussion space on the history and theology of Korean Christian Zionism and its impact on the Korea peace movement. Professor Keunjoo Christine Pae will trace connections between Korea’s wartime collective memories and modern Israeli history, show how those memories have been politically mobilized, and discuss why some non-Christian Koreans embrace Zionism. Professor Keunjoo Christine Pae, Ph.D. is the Chair of the Department of Religion and Professor of Religion/Ethics and Women’s and Gender Studies at Denison University. RSVP here.
April 23-24 | “U.S.-China Rivalry and the Militarization of the Pacific” at the Futures Beyond Militarism conference | Thompson Conference Center, University of Texas Austin | In-Person Event
WCDMZ Executive Director Cathi Choi will be speaking at the Futures Beyond Militarism conference, a convening of scholars and activists to examine global alternatives to militarism and ways communities envision and enact sustainable and interdependent futures. Cathi will join WCDMZ Founder Christine Ahn (moderator), Kyle Kajihiro, and Mark Tseng-Putterman on the “U.S.-China Rivalry and the Militarization of the Pacific” panel event on Friday, April 24 at 9:45am. RSVP and learn more here.
Tuesday, April 21 at 7pm ET | “Have You Heard Our Cries?”: Program on Korea Peace Journey hosted by the Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea | Virtual Event
The Presbyterian Peace Network for Korea, a major partner of KPNGN Faith-Based Caucus, is hosting a special program for attendees to share reflections on their recent Korea Peace Journey.
Last October, over a dozen people joined the Korea Peace Journey to travel to Korea to meet peacemakers from churches in Korea and grassroots activists, hear their stories, and understand their support for peace. The group traveled to Seoul, Jeju Island, Pyeongtaek, and the DMZ, listening, learning, and discussing how best to be in solidarity with partners working for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Join the meeting here.
✌️Follow Korea Peace Now! and Women Cross DMZ on Instagram! Say hello and check out our accounts!
🛍 Support the Korea Peace Movement: Show your support for Korea peace with one of our tote bags, hats, baby onesies, and clothing, available here. All funds 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,
Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network
Dear Friend,
As a nonprofit, Women Cross DMZ relies on the generous support of individuals like you to help us sustain our movement to officially end the Korean War and realize lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
This Giving Tuesday, help us realize our bold vision of a peaceful and just future for all. Your contribution directly supports our work for peace in Korea and beyond. Donate $25, $50, $100, or whatever amount is meaningful to you — and invest in peace today!
Read what three feminist leaders say in our latest Annual Report:
You play a vital role in ensuring that Women Cross DMZ continues to lead the movement for peace in Korea. As Giving Tuesday approaches, we invite you to make an end-of-year gift that will sustain and deepen our impact for peace and justice.
Here’s what one of our funders said about our 10-Year Anniversary Solidarity Trek to Korea:
“As a women’s peace leader in my home country, Liberia, I know firsthand how critical women’s leadership is in building peace. Joining the 2015 crossing forever changed how I view Korea and the tragic 85-year division. For the past decade, Women Cross DMZ has brought new champions to Korea peace. I am honored to support them for the decade to come!” — Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Laureate, Peace Activist, and 2015 Crossing Delegate
“As an attorney and law professor, I have seen firsthand how reparative justice and intergenerational healing are critical parts of peace advocacy. Women Cross DMZ has developed an incredible model of intergenerational healing, peacebuilding, and cross-collective activism that champions grassroots change for peace and justice in Korea and the U.S.” — Miyoko Petit-Toledo, Professor of Law, William S. Richardson School of Law
“Women Cross DMZ demonstrates what principled, community-rooted advocacy looks like — amplifying grassroots voices and building intergenerational leadership. As a co-sponsor of the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act and Founder and Co-Chair of the Global Migration Caucus, I recognize the critical work they do to strengthen peace through diplomacy and reunite families divided by the Korean War. I commend Women Cross DMZ for their consistent feminist leadership in paving a new way of diplomacy, women’s leadership, and lasting peace.” — U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL)
Our latest 2024-2025 Annual Report reflects the enormous strides we have made toward peace, including the 10-Year Anniversary Solidarity Trek to Korea, 10th Annual Korea Peace Advocacy Week, national grassroots organizing and education, and the launch of two major reports of groundbreaking feminist peace analysis: Women’s Rights Under the Division System in Korea and the Feminist Peace Playbook.
Donate today! Your contribution directly supports our women-led work for peace in Korea and beyond. You can also purchase a holiday gift, with all proceeds going to support Women Cross DMZ.
In peace,
Everyone at Women Cross DMZ
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
Dear friend,
Join us for Korea Peace Advocacy Week June 5-9, 2023!
During Korea Peace Advocacy Week, hundreds of people around the country meet with their members of Congress to advocate for legislation supporting peace in Korea. It’s one of the most meaningful, direct, and impactful ways to take action for peace in Korea.
2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted but did not officially end the Korean War, so it’s an especially important time to remind Congress about the human costs of this unresolved war and the urgent need to avoid a nuclear conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
Together, we must collectively raise our voices to let our elected officials know it’s time to end the Korean War. Can we count on you to share your story and make our voices heard?
.jpg)
May 12 is the deadline to register! All you have to do is attend an optional training session (or watch the recording) and two to three 30 min meetings with your Congressional offices during the week of June 5. All meetings are held via Zoom. Please do one small act now for Korea peace and register today!
Korea Peace Advocacy Week is organized by American Friends Service Committee, Mennonite Central Committee, and Women Cross DMZ. For more info, contact Colleen Moore at colleen@womencrossdmz.org.
Crossings to Premiere in San Francisco May 13
We’re also excited to announce that Crossings will premiere in San Francisco as part of CAAMFest 2023 on Saturday, May 13 at 5:30 pm! Filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem and Women Cross DMZ Executive Director Christine Ahn will be in attendance and participate in a post-screening Q&A. Buy your tickets now!
Noam Chomsky in Conversation with Korea Experts Including Christine Ahn
On April 26 at 4pm PST/7pm EST, join a critical discussion with Noam Chomsky on the
disastrous implications of Washington’s military encirclement of China
on the future of the Korean Peninsula. Women Cross DMZ Executive Director Christine Ahn will be among the featured speakers. Register: https://bit.ly/3ljXUPh / YouTube Live: https://youtu.be/MWd7G42-uHs
Korea Peace Week at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa
This week, the University of Hawai’i chapter of Korea Peace Now! will host Korea Peace Week. The activities will include:
Dialogue: How Peace/War in Korea Affects the World
– Discussion with Christine Ahn (Women Cross DMZ), Kyle Kajihiro (Ethnic Studies),
Joseph Han (author of Nuclear Family), and Harrison Kim (History).
– Thursday, April 27, 3-5pm, Campus Center Rm 307
Film: Crossings
– Screening of the documentary Crossings by Deann Borshay Liem about women peacemakers crossing the DMZ from North to South Korea in 2015.
– Friday, April 28, 3-5pm, Campus Center Rm 307
We hope to see you at one of these upcoming events!
We’re excited to announce two upcoming events on Korea Peace:
On April 26 at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, join us for “LIFTing Voices for Peace: Korean American Authors on the Un-Ended Korean War.”
Writers Grace M. Cho and Gary Pak will share their work and engage in a conversation about separated families, the traumas of war, and the importance of lifting the ban on travel to North Korea.
Click HERE to register.
Grace Cho, who most recently is the Winner of the 2022 Asian/Pacific American Award in Literature, was a Finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Nonfiction, and whose book Tastes Like War was A TIME and NPR Best Book of the Year in 2021. She is a professor of sociology at CUNY; her previous book, Haunting the Korean Diaspora, was published in 2008 and she is an active scholar.
Gary Pak was a professor of English at the University of Hawaii until his recent retirement. He is the author of many works, including The Watcher of Waipuna and Other Stories, A Ricepaper Airplane, Children of a Fireland, Language of the Geckos and Other Stories, Brothers Under a Same Sky, Chon-go Ma-bi / High Sky, and Horse Fattening: Essays on Contemporary Korean Culture. He co-edited Yobo: Korean American Writing in Hawai‘i (Bamboo Ridge Press, 2003). He has published a children’s play, Beyond the Falls, which was produced by the Honolulu Theater for Youth in 2001. This event is hosted by LIFT (Let Individuals Freely Travel), a campaign to reinstate the long-standing US policy that allowed US citizens to travel freely to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (aka North Korea).
This campaign is a joint initiative of the Korea Peace Network, the Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network, and Peace Treaty Now.
Secondly, for those in the Los Angeles area, CROSSINGS will have its West Coast premiere at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 10! Filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem and Christine Ahn will appear in-person. Ticketing for the general public will be available starting Friday, April 15 at 5pm PT here.
Watch the trailer for CROSSINGS by clicking on the image below:
.png)
We hope you’ll join us!
TAKE ACTION:
Call for Peace, Not Military Threats
Later this month, the US and South Korea are set to conduct combined large-scale military exercises. We call on the governments of South Korea and the United States to suspend the combined military exercises and instead actively pursue a path to peace. Urge your Member of Congress to cosponsor H.R.3446, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, in order to support peace and reconciliation, not military confrontation and pressure.
Contact your member of Congress here.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 23, 11:40am-1:30pm ET: Human Chain to Unite 2 Koreas: The 6.15 NY Committee for Reunification of Korea will stage a human chain from the North Korean to South Korean UN Missions in New York to symbolize our dream of bringing the two Koreas together. Meet at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at 2nd Ave/47th St. For questions, email soobokkim000@gmail.com or mjang_us@yahoo.com.
May 2, 12pm PT/3pm ET: Unmute Yourself: Peace Now on the Korean Peninsula! An online conversation hosted by Ploughshares President Emma Belcher, with guests Christine Ahn, Abigail Disney, and Deann Borshay Liem. Register here.
May 10, 7:30pm PT: CROSSINGS West Coast premiere at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Tickets on sale on 4/15 here.
RECENT MEDIA:
Dear Friend,
Last week, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, Women Cross DMZ and Korea Peace Now! hosted the panel discussion “Peace and Human Rights in North Korea: An Argument for Ending the War.”
The event explored the intersection of human rights and peace in the context of US-North Korea relations and the role of the unended Korean War. Speakers included Tomás Ojea Quintana, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea; Elizabeth Beavers, a national security and human rights attorney and advocate; and Su-mi Jeon, a South Korean human rights lawyer.
In case you missed it, here are some highlights from each speaker:
Tomás Ojea Quintana: “A peace settlement could allow for concrete treatment of human rights issues. … An opening for peace talks could allow for an opening in human rights cooperation and engagement.”
(click here or on the image above to watch)
Elizabeth Beavers: “There’s no reason to believe that continued militarism, sanctions, and pressure are helpful to the cause of human rights, nor should we believe that peace and normalized relations would be harmful to that cause…. That said, there are many reasons to believe a peace agreement, unlike our current militaristic policies, could lead to positive human rights outcomes.”
(click here or on the image above to watch)
Su-mi Jeon: “To improve the human rights of North Korean defectors, peace on the Korean Peninsula is desperately needed. In order for human rights and peace to coexist on the Korean Peninsula, we must think about human rights in both Koreas.”
(click here or on the image above to watch)
Watch the entire webinar here.
Also, read Elizabeth and Su-mi’s op-ed in The Hill about why human rights concerns should not be an obstacle to peace with North Korea. And read the remarks delivered by Korea Peace Now! consultant Youkyoung Ko to the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the importance of ending seven decades of war and hostilities.
To learn more about the implications of a peace agreement for human rights, download our one-page fact sheet from our Path to Peace report.
And as Christine Ahn recently noted in her recent NK News op-ed, an end of war declaration could help improve the security of Koreans and Americans.
As 2021 draws near to a close, we’re wishing for peace on earth and especially in Korea.
We’re able to continue our education, organizing, and advocacy work due to hundreds of donors who give large and small donations. Please help us continue our work in 2022 by making a tax-deductible donation today.
Happy holidays and happy new year.
Everyone at Women Cross DMZ