Korea Peace and the Election Year: September 2024 Newsletter

Our September KPNGN meeting is happening on Thursday, September 12 at 5pm PT/ 8pm ET! Mark your calendars and register here. This month, we’ll be hosting discussions on the recent Democratic and Republican National Conventions and their implications for Korea peace, as well as what the upcoming 2024 elections mean for furthering peace on the Korean peninsula.

SAVE THE DATE: Berkeley Crossings September 20 Screening

Crossings (2021) by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem, is coming to Berkeley! Crossings follows 30 women peace activists from around the world who crossed the DMZ from North to South Korea, calling for peace on the Korean Peninsula. A screening event for the documentary will be hosted by UC Berkeley’s Center for Korean Studies on September 20 at 5pm PT. Filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem and WCDMZ Co-Director Christine Ahn will lead a discussion following the screening.

Register and learn more info about the event here.

RECAP: No Nuclear War Drills! 8/18 DC Action

The U.S.-South Korean tabletop exercise “Iron Mace 24” was held from July 30 to August 1. It was the first war drill simulating a hypothetical nuclear war in Korea. From August 19 to 29, Ulchi Freedom Shield, one of the most extensive war drills in the world, was conducted. Korea Peace Now! DC members and allies protested in front of the White House, demanding that Biden should halt these offensive military war drills, which are provocative in nature and harmful to our environment.

Credit to HK Suh

UPCOMING EVENT: Korea Peace Study Group

On Friday, September 13 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET, John Kim and Johnny Atlas will present their research on several of the United States’ presidential candidates, focusing on their positions on Korea, especially on ending the Korean War! We hope you’ll join us for this timely topic. Register here.

WATCH: End the Travel Ban to North Korea! KTOWN SOCIAL CLUB EP. 42

WCDMZ Co-Directors Christine Ahn and Cathi Choi sit down with Ktown Social Club’s Michael Kim and Michael Won to discuss ending the US travel ban on North Korea and building a movement for peace in Korea and ending the Korean War.

From Chinatown to Vietnam: Locating Histories of Asian American Anti-Imperialism

Historian Mark Tseng-Putterman presents his research on Asian American anti-imperialism during the Cold War period, focusing on how Asian American activists worked across ethnic, class, and generational lines. This presentation, first shared at KPNGN’s February 2024 meeting, shares how prior generations of Asian American anti-imperialist activism can inform our work today to end the war in Korea and end U.S. militarism globally.

READ: The US has renewed draconian North Korea travel ban, yet again

Cathi Choi discusses the harmful consequences of the State Department’s decision to renew the travel ban on North Korea and the missed opportunity for constructive diplomatic engagement with the DPRK.

Links from the KPNGN Education Committee:

  • KPI at US Out of Korea Rally – San Francisco, 8/17: Paul Liem, from the Korea Policy Institute, recently spoke at a US Out of Korea Rally about how conservative forces in Yoon Suk Yeol’s S. Korea have been moving the Korean Peninsula in a direction that is not conducive to peace and is, in fact, increasing the chances of new hostilities breaking out.
  • The Selfie—and ‘Sports Diplomacy’—That Brings North and South Koreans Together: We felt inspired to see athletes from both sides of the DMZ celebrating their Olympic successes together in such a natural way. Tensions have been escalating on the Korean Peninsula and there has not been an abundance of good news lately. The Olympic photo story delighted and inspired us.

STAY TUNED: Korea Peace Now!’s Intergenerational Learning and Healing Series will be back this fall! In the meantime, our first two events are available to watch now on YouTube:

Looking forward to seeing you next week!

Sincerely,

Cathi Choi and Echo

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