Seeds Will Grow

Have you heard the news? Last week, South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung turned off the loudspeakers blasting South Korean propaganda into the North to deescalate some tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The North reciprocated and turned off their propaganda speakers, too!

In the midst of a world that seems addicted to escalation, this is small, but really good news.

Also during the last two weeks, from all across the USA, the Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network has been taking part in Korea Peace Advocacy, meeting with Congressional staffers and asking for their support for a peace agreement to end the Korean War.

Because of our meetings, now is the perfect time to contact your Representative and Senators to amplify our voices calling for Korean Peace.

You can call them or follow this link to send a letter in support of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

In addition to raising the concerns of Korean War veteran families, as we’ve done in our other meetings, we also emphasized the window for diplomacy that currently exists:

1. With a peace-first approach that leads to trust-building and normalizing relations with the DPRK (North Korea), President Trump could end the United States’ longest war – 75 years long and counting (much longer than the war in Afghanistan) – transform the security environment in Northeast Asia – and save money. What a win that would be!

2. President Lee Jae-Myung of South Korea wants to open dialogue with the DPRK. Already he’s made a small step to deescalate tensions on the Korean peninsula by turning off the propaganda speakers, and the government in the North reciprocated! Let’s build on that momentum!

3. The political window of opportunity in the US may close by the time we come up on midterm elections next year, so it’s time to get that diplomacy cooking, Secretary Rubio!

The unended Korean War persists because of fear and the fact that our leaders (in the USA, South Korea, and the DPRK) have so far been unable to sustain a deescalatory spiral, but that can change.

Since we know there was radio silence between the DPRK and the Biden administration, the Trump administration should take action to show goodwill. I reminded Congressional staff that North Korea did this, unilaterally sending home remains of fallen US soldiers’ to show goodwill during talks in 2018.

Some ideas for US actions include:

1. Lifting sanctions that impact normal civilians in the DPRK

2. Suspending war drills in Korea – particularly any war drills that simulate offensive maneuvers

3. Lifting the travel ban on American citizens traveling to the DPRK

4. Openly declaring its intent to end the 75 year long Korean War

Ending a war as entrenched as the one on the Korean Peninsula requires political support. 70% of Americans support renewed dialogue between our nations (2025 AFSC poll), but we need more of us to directly ask our leaders for a peace agreement to end the Korean War.

American friends, would you amplify this call for peace in Korea?

• Sign this letter to Congress
  
• Call your elected House Representative and ask for their support of the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act (H.R. 1841).
  
• Call your Senators and ask them to introduce a Senate version of the “Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act” (H.R. 1841).
  
• Share this post.

THANK YOU!