US·ROK·International Civil Society Groups 

Call for Suspending US-ROK Military Exercises and Decreasing Military Tensions on the Korean Peninsula 

April 5, 2022

We, civil society groups in the United States, South Korea, and around the world, urge the governments of the ROK (Republic of Korea, aka South Korea) and the United States to suspend the combined military exercises and to instead actively pursue a path to peace. We are deeply concerned about the recent increase in military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The ROK, the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, aka North Korea) and the United States should take steps toward sincere dialogue and cooperation, not military actions.

Without a peaceful resolution to the Korean War, we have witnessed increasing militarization on the Korean Peninsula for seven decades. The US-ROK combined military exercises, which prepare for an all-out war with North Korea, have developed into large-scale exercises that mobilize considerable weapons, equipment and US troops on the Korean Peninsula. In recent years, these war drills have been based on operation plans that reportedly include preemptive strikes and “decapitation measures” against the North Korean leadership. They also have involved the use of B-2 and B-52H bombers, which are designed to drop nuclear bombs, and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. While the United States and South Korea have called them defensive in nature, these military exercises have long been a trigger point for heightened military and political tensions on the Korean Peninsula due to their scale and provocative nature.

Efforts toward reconciliation and cooperation at the governmental and civilian levels between the two Koreas and the US and North Korea have failed to build trust due to the vicious cycle of military provocations. While the leaders agreed on the peaceful future of the Korean Peninsula at the inter-Korean summits and the first US-DPRK summit in 2018, the US and the ROK then resumed the suspended US-ROK combined military exercises after no deal was reached at the US-DPRK summit in Hanoi in early 2019, and the US imposed additional sanctions against North Korea. North Korea, condemning the US hostile policy and military threat, resumed missile tests and recently ended its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and ICBM tests. Without further efforts to implement the agreements between the leaders, including establishing new relations, resumed military actions could have disastrous consequences.

We want peace talks, not war drills and military confrontation. In particular, we urge the Biden administration to resolve the root cause of the conflict between the United States and North Korea — the unresolved Korean War. Continuing to rely on isolation, pressure, and threats to force North Korea’s unilateral denuclearization is a recipe for failure. Now more than ever, the US has a responsibility to pursue peace and show that responsible nations resolve differences through diplomacy, not by increasing tensions and relying on military escalation. We urge the Moon administration to uphold the commitments made in the Panmunjom Agreement, in which the leaders of the two Koreas agreed to defuse military tensions and eliminate the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula, and suspend the upcoming US-ROK joint war drills.

Suspending these costly and highly provocative military exercises will be a crucial step toward restarting genuine diplomacy with North Korea. It will allow all parties to address other intractable global issues facing our nations today, such as the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, nuclear weapons, and war. Now is the time to change direction from military confrontation and pressure toward cooperation, reconciliation, and peace.

 

356 Civil Society Groups Signed : 

South Korean Organizations (182)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 (South Korean Committee for Implementation of June 15 Joint Declaration)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 경기본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Gyeonggi branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 경기중부본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Gyeonggi-jungbu branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 광주본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Gwangju branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 대전본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Daejeon branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 수원본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Suwon branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 안산본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Ansan branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 울산본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Ulsan branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 인천본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Incheon branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 제주본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Jeju branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 청년학생본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Youth & Students Headquarters)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 충남본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Chungnam branch)

6.15공동선언실천 남측위원회 충북본부 (6.15 South Korean Committee, Chungbuk branch)

가톨릭농민회 (Corea Catholic Farmers’ Movement)

강정평화네트워크 (Gangjeong Peace Network)

건강권실현을위한보건의료단체연합 : 건강권실현을위한행동하는간호사회, 건강사회를위한약사회, 건강사회를위한치과의사회, 노동건강연대, 인도주의실천의사협의회, 참의료실현청년한의사회 (Korean Federation Medical Groups for Health Rights : Association of Korea Doctors for health rights, Association of Physicians for Humanism, Korean Dentist’s Association for Healthy Society, Korean Nurses association for health rights, Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society, Solidarity for worker’s health)

겨레의길 민족광장 (Gyeoleuigil Minjoggwangjang)

겨레하나 (Movement for One Korea)

경기북부평화시민행동 (Gyeonggi Bukbu Peace Action)

경기여성단체연합 (Gyeonggi Women’s Association United)

경기여성연대 (Gyeonggi Women’s Solidarity)

경기정의평화기독교행동 (Gyeonggi Christian Action for Justice and Peace)

경기주권연대 (Gyeonggi Sovereignty Solidarity)

경기진보연대 (Gyeonggi Alliance for Progressive Movement)

경기평화교육센터 (Gyeonggi Peace Education Center)

경기환경운동연합 (Korea Federation for Environmental Movements Kyounggi)

경남진보연합 (Gyeongnam Progressive Association)

고양여성민우회 (Goyang Womenlink)

고양평화청년회 (GyPeaceYouth)

고양YWCA (Goyang YWCA)

공릉.월계여성회(준)

광주진보연대 (Gwangju Alliance for Progressive Movement)

국민주권연대 (Jukwonyeondae)

국제전략센터 (International Strategy Center)

그리스도의 교육 수녀회 (Sisters of the Christian Doctrine)

기독청년아카데미 (Christian Youth Academy)

남북상생통일충남연대 (People’s Solidarity for Reunification of Korea)

남원YWCA (Namwon YWCA)

노동복지나눔센터 (Labor Welfare Sharing Center)

노동희망발전소 (Plant for Labor’s Hope)

녹색연합 (Green Korea United)

대경진보연대 (Deagyeong Alliance for Progressive Movement)

독도사랑협의회 (The Association of Dokdo Sarang)

독립유공자유족회 (The Association of Descendants of Korean Independence Patriots)

동북아평화교육훈련원 (Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute (NARPI))

동학실천시민행동 (The Citizens’ Movement of Donghak Revolution)

미디어기독연대 (Media Christian Solidarity)

민들레 (Progressive artists union ‘Dandelion’)

민족문제연구소 (The Center for Historical Truth and Justice)

민족문제연구소 고양파주지부 (The Center for Historical Truth and Justice Goyang Paju Committee)

민족문제연구소 안산시흥지부 (The Center for Historical Truth and Justice Ansan Siheung Committee)

민족문학 연구회 (Writers Association of Korea)

민족민주열사희생자추모단체연대회의 (Korean Council for Democratic Martyre)

민족자주평화통일중앙회의 (Minjatong)

민주노동자전국회의 (Democratic Workers’ National Conference)

민주노점상전국연합 (Korea Democratic Street Venders Confederation)

민주노총 수원용인오산화성지부 (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Suwon Yongin Osan Hwaseong Regional Branch)

민주사회를 위한 변호사모임 (MIBYUN-Lawyers for a Democratic Society)

민주평등사회를 위한 전국교수연구자협의회 (Association of Professors and Researchers for Democracy and Equality)

민주화실천가족운동협의회 (Mingahyeop)

민중민주당 (Peoples Democracy Party (PDP))

부산민중연대 (Busan Alliance for Progressive Movement)

부산우리민족서로돕기서로돕기운동

북구 주민회 (Buggu Juminhoi)

(사)6월민주항쟁계승사업회 (KDEMO)

(사)경기민예총 (Federation of People’s Art Organizations, Gyeonggi)

(사)광주전남겨레하나 (Movement for One Korea in Gwangju & Jeonnam)

(사)광주평화통일교육센터 (The Education Center for Peace and Unification in Gwangju)

(사)민족미술인협회 (The Korean People’s Artists Association)

(사)안산민예총 (Korean People’s Artists Federation in Ansan)

(사)어린이어깨동무 (Okedongmu Children in Korea)

(사)울산민예총 (Korean People’s Artists Federation in Ulsan)

(사)정의평화인권을위한양심수후원회 (Support Committee for Prisoners of Conscience for Justice, Peace and Human Rights)

(사)평화삼천 (The Corea Peace 3000)

(사)평화통일시민연대 (Citizen’s Solidarity for Peace and Unification)

(사)한겨레평화통일포럼 (Hankyoreh Unification Forum)

사단법인 민주화운동정신계승국민연대 (Corp. Minjuhwaundong-Jeongsingyeseung-Gugminyeondae)

사단법인 수원민예총 (Federation of People’s Art Organizations, Gyeonggi-Suwon Council0

사단법인 희망래일 (Rail of Hope)

사월혁명회 (April Revolution Association)

사할린한인역사기념사업회

새로운 100년을 여는 통일의병 (The Righteous People for Korean Unification)

새로하나 (New One)

생명평화포럼 (Life and Peace Forum)

서울남부노동상담센터

서울대학교 민주동문회 (Seoul National University Democratic Alumni Association)

서울진보연대 (Seoul Alliance for Progressive Movement)

서해5도평화운동본부 (West Sea Peace Zone Association)

성골롬반외방선교회 JPIC (Columban JPIC Korea)

성골롬반평신도선교사 (Columban Lay Missionaries (CLM))

성미산학교포스트중등 (Sungmisan-School-Post Secondary)

세월호를 기억하는 일산시민 모임

수원그린트러스트 (Suwon Green Trust Foundation)

수원여성회 (Suwon Women’s Association)

수원일하는여성회 (Suwon Working Women)

수원진보연대 (Suwon Alliance for Progressive Movement)

수원환경운동센터 (Suwon Center for Environment Movement)

수원YWCA (Suwon YWCA)

슬로푸드한국협회 (Slow Food Korea)

시민평화포럼 (Civil Peace Forum)

액션원코리아 (Action One Korea)

여성평화운동네트워크 (Korean Women’s Movement for Peace)

열린군대를위한시민연대 (Civilian Military Watch)

예수살기 (Living with Jesus)

우리학교와 아이들을 지키는 시민모임 (Civil Network for the ‘Chosun School ‘& Student in Japan)

울산대학교 민주동문회 (Ulsan University Democratic Alumni Association)

울산여성회 (ULSAN-WOMEN)

울산진보연대 (Ulsan Alliance for Progressive Movement)

원불교성주성지수호비상대책위 (The Won-Buddhist Emergency Committee to Guard the Sacred Site at Seongju)

원불교평화행동 (WON-PEACE)

원불교환경연대 (Wonbulgyo Eco Network)

인권교육센터 들 (Human Rights Education Center ‘DEUL’)

인천노사모 (Incheon NOSAMO)

인천자주평화연대 (Incheon Independent Peace Solidarity)

일본군성노예제 문제 해결을 위한 정의기억연대 (The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan)

자주통일평화번영운동연대 (Great Korea Action)

자주평화통일실천연대 (Silcheonyeondae)

전교조 고양중등지회 (Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union Goyang Middle and High School Branch)

전교조 고양초등지회 (Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union Goyang Elementary Education Branch)

전국교직원노동조합 (Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU))

전국농민회총연맹 (Korea Peasants League)

전국농민회총연맹 부산경남연맹 (Busan-Gyeongnam League, Members of Korean Peasants League)

전국민족민주유가족협의회 (Yugahyep)

전국민주노동조합총연맹 (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions)

전국빈민연합 (National Federation of the Poor)

전국여성농민회총연합 (Korean Women Peasants Association)

전국여성연대 (Korea Women’s Alliance)

전국청소년진보연대 소명 (National Youth Movement Union Somyeong)

전남진보연대 (Jeonnam Alliance for Progressive Movement)

전북교육마당 (Cheonbuk Edumadang)

전주YMCA (Jeonju YMCA)

정의사법실천연대 (Jungsilrun)

제주통일청년회 (Jeju Unification Youth Association)

제주평화인권센터 (Jeju Peace Humanrights Center)

조국통일범민족연합남측본부 (Pan-Korea Alliance for Reunification)

조선일보폐간운동본부

진보 3.0(Progressive 3.0)

진보당 (The Progressive Party)

진보당 수원시지역위원회 (The Progressive Party Suwon Committee)

진보당 울산시당(The Progressive Party Ulsan Committee)

진보대학생넷 (Jinbo College Student Network)

진주YMCA (Jinju YMCA)

참교육학부모회 경기지부 (The National Association of Parents for Cham-Education, Gyeonggi)

참교육학부모회 김포지회 (The National Association of Parents for Cham-Education, Gimpo)

참살이문학 (CHAMSARI Literature)

참여연대 (People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD))

창작21작가회 (Changjak21)

천주교인권위원회 (Catholic Human Rights Committee)

천주교정의구현전국연합 (Korean Catholic Federation for Justice)

코리아국제평화포럼 (Korea International Peace Forum)

통일광장 (Tongillkwangjang)

통일로 (Tongilro)

통일맞이 (Greeting the Unification of Korea)

통일시대연구원(구, 4.27시대연구원) (Tongilsidae Researh Institute)

통일엔평화 (Unification and Peace)

통일의길 (The Happy March for One Korea)

팍스 크리스티 코리아 (Pax Christi Korea (PCK))

평등평화세상 온다 (Equal Peace World ONDA)

평택평화센터 (Pyeongtaek Peace Center)

평화네트워크 (Peace Network)

평화를만드는여성회 (Women Making Peace)

평화바람 (Peace Wind)

평화어머니회 (Peace Mothers of Korea)

평화와 통일을 위한 YMCA 만인회 (YMCA 10000 Committee for Korea Peace and Reunification)

평화재향군인회 (The Korea Veterans for Peace)

평화협정운동본부 (Peace Treaty Movement)

평화협정운동인천본부 (Peace Treaty Movement, Incheon)

풍물굿패 삶터 (Poungmulgutpai)

피스모모 (PEACEMOMO)

한국기독교교회협의회 (The National Council of Churches in Korea)

한국기독교교회협의회 화해통일위원회 (The National Council of Churches in Korea, Reconciliation & Reunification Committee)

한국노동조합총연맹 (Federation of Korean Trade Unions)

한국대학생진보연합 (Korea University Advancement Association)

한국에클레시아생명학연구원 (Korea Institute for the Study of Ecclesia and Life)

한국여성단체연합 (Korea Women’s Associations United)

한국진보연대 (Korea Alliance for Progressive Movement)

한국청년연대 (Korea Youth Solidarity)

한국YMCA전국연맹 (National Council of YMCAs of Korea)

한국YWCA연합회 (National YWCA of Korea)

한반도 종전 평화 캠페인 (Korea Peace Appeal Campaign)

한반도중립화통일협의회 (Korean Peninsula Neutralization and Unification Council)

흥사단 (Young Korean Academy (Hung Sa Dahn)

US Organizations (98)

1040 for Peace

3 Pour Press

350 Milwaukee

6.15 DC Committee for Reunification of Korea

6.15 NY Committee for Reunification of Korea

6.15 Seattle Committee for Reunification of Korea

American Friends Service Committee

ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)

Asian Refugees United

Atlanta Realty Central, Inc

Atlanta SaSaSe

Baltimore Nonviolence Center

Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace

Broome Tioga Green Party

Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security

Channing and Popai Liem Education Foundation

China-US Solidarity Network

Citizens Academy for Korean Americans

Citizens Fighting for Social Justice

Coalition for Peace Action

Coalition of Koreans in America

CODEPINK

Community Organizing Center

East Point Peace Academy

Environmentalists Against War

Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR-USA)

Friends Peace Teams-Asia West Pacific

Global Ministries of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ

Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space

Grassroots Global Justice Alliance

Hawai’i Peace and Justice

INOCHI / NoWarWithNorthKorea.org

Interfaith Alliance of the Ozarks

International Action Center

KANCC-Washington Regional Association

Katarungan

Korea Peace Committee of Korean Council of United Methodist Church

Korea Peace Network

Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network

Korean American Committee for Korean Prisoners of Conscience

Korean American National Coordinating Council

Korean American Support Committee

Korean Americans for the Progressive Party of Korea (KAPP)

KPNGN PNW

MADRE

Nabi USA Washington DC

National Association of Korean Americans (NAKA)

Network for Peace & Unification in USA

New England Korea Peace Campaign

No War! No Sanction!

Nodutdol

O‘ahu Water Protectors

Parallax Perspectives

Pax Christi UpState New York

Pax Christi USA

Peace Action

Peace Action Bay Ridge

Peace Action Broome County

Peace Action Chicago Area

Peace Action Maine

Peace Action Massachusetts

Peace Action Michigan

Peace Action Network of Lancaster

Peace Action New Hampshire

Peace Action New Jersey

Peace Action New York State

Peace Action North Carolina

Peace Action Sacramento Area

Peace Action Wisconsin

Peace and Freedom Party, on the California Ballot

Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!

Peace21

PEACEWORKERS

PeaceWorks, Kansas City

Philadelphia Peace Plaza Committee

Popular Resistance

Presbyterians Peace Network for Korea (PPNK)

SASASE-Chicago

Seattle Evergreen Coalition

The Least of These Church (Manhattan)

TLTC Justice & Peace Committee

United for Peace and Justice

United Methodist Church

Utah Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

Veterans For Peace

Veterans For Peace – NYC Chapter 34

Veterans For Peace Chapter 113-Hawai’i

Veterans For Peace Phil Berrigan Memorial Chapter

VFP#35

War Prevention Initiative

Washington Institute for Korean Unification Issues

Women Against War

Women Cross DMZ

Women for Genuine Security

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section

Women’s Voices, Women Speak

Workers World Party

World Resource Center

International Organizations (76)

6.15 Japanese Committee

6.15 Overseas Committee

Blue Banner, Mongolian NGO

Bolivian Women‘s Efforts: Local Contributions for a Safer World

Commission 4-International League of Peoples’ Struggles, Canada

European Chartered Engineer for Water Management and Environmental Engineering, Austria

Frente Antiimperialista Internacionalista, Spain

Friends of “Comfort Women” in Sydney

Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice, Guam

I Hagan Famalao’an Guahan, Inc., Guam

Independent and Peaceful Australia Network

International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR)

International No to war – no to NATO network

International Women’s Network against Militarism

K-PA Global Network

KCRC Shanghai, China

Korea Peace Now!

Korea Verband, Germany

Korean New Zealanders for a Better Future

Koreanische Friedensgruppe in Deutschland (Women for Peace in Germany)

Koreans for Woori Schools, Canada

Marrickville Peace Group, Australia

Netzwerk der Koreaner in Deutschland, Germany

Okinawa Women Act against Military Violence

Pax Christi Australia

Peace Boat, Japan

Peace Depot Inc., Japan

Peace Philosophy Centre, Canada

Peace Posse

Peace Treaty Now (PTN)

Peace Women Partners Inc., Philippines

Peasia (Peace for East Asia), Canada

Philippine Women’s Network for Peace & Security

PUAC, Canada

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group, United Kingdom

SASASE Ottawa, Canada

Solidarity of Korean People in Europe

Stop the War Coalition Philippines

The Federation of Korean Residents in Japan for Democratic Reunification of Korea

The Korean Democratic Women`s Association in Japan

The United Church of Canada

Toronto Minjoo Forum, Canada

URI COREA, France

WILPF Kyoto, Japan

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

Worker-Communist Party of Iraq

World BEYOND War

高校無償化からの朝鮮学校排除に反対する連絡会

東京朝鮮人強制連行真相調査団

東アジア市民連帯

米軍基地に反対する運動をとおして沖縄と韓国の民衆連帯をめざす会(沖韓民衆連)

福島訪朝者の集い

日朝友好連帯群馬県民会議

日朝友好連帯埼玉県民会議

日朝友好連帯静岡県民会議

日朝友好福島県民会議

日朝友好北海道民会議

日朝国交正常化早実現市民連帯大阪

日朝国交正常化推進神奈川県民の会

日朝学術教育交流協会

日朝教育文化交流を進める愛知の会

日韓民衆連帯全国ネットワーク

在日朝鮮人作家を読む会

在日韓国民主統一連合東京本部

朝鮮女性と連帯する日本婦人連絡会

朝鮮統一支持長野県民会議

朝鮮の自主的は英和統一を支持する日本委員会

朝学校支援する全国ネットワーク

村山談話を継承し発展させる会

平和憲法を守る荒川の会

「憲法」を愛する女性ネット

憲法を生かす会東京連絡会

強制動員問題解決と過去清算のための共同行動

ノレの会

ふぇみん婦人民主クラブ

フォーラム平和・人権・環境