The Statement for Peace Building on the Korean Peninsula

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have just begun as a global festival of peace.

President Moon Jae-in has invested tireless effort to make the Games a success. President Donald Trump's has graciously agreed to postpone the joint military exercise between the United States and the Republic of Korea. And Chairman Kim Jong-un has generously offered to a large delegation. All these indicate that the Games will be a success. It also has a potential bringing about lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The resumption of dialogue and cultural exchanges are thawing the inter-Korean relations, frozen for a long time. Under the IOC's "Olympic Korean Peninsula Declaration," North Korea and South Korea have agreed to field a unified women's ice hockey team and to walk together as one under the Korean Unification Flag during the opening and closing ceremonies. All these herald a new era of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.

However, above the aura of peace on the Korean Peninsula, there is a dark shadow of war. In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump harshly called the North Korean government a "depraved" and "cruel" dictatorship and promised to “wage a campaign of maximum pressure" against the country. The United States continues to deploy additional strategic assets around the Korean Peninsula and Guam. All indicate that the Trump Administration is seriously considering a preventive military strike on North Korea.

We believe that would be a big mistake. Even a very limited military strike will most likely invite North Korea's retaliation. China will not stand idly without taking military action if North Korea is attacked by the United States. Combined with the unlikelihood of U.S. standing by and South Korea's Kill Chain, quick escalation to all-out war is the likely result. If a full-scale war breaks out, it could quickly and unavoidably expand into a nuclear war. The result may be that not only would the two Koreas be destroyed, but the global peace could be seriously threatened. Thus, we strongly oppose any form of military action on the Korean Peninsula by any party.

For the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, we demand:

First, President Moon Jae-in should play a bridge-building role in making every effort to improve inter-Korean relations while at the same time promoting U.S.-North Korea dialogue with the goal of denuclearization and construction of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea’s opposition parties and the conservative media should abandon their partisan efforts to disrupt inter-Korean reconciliation and instead strive for the success of the Games and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Second, President Trump should immediately engage in dialogue with North Korea without condition. He must seriously consider halting the joint US-ROK military exercises in exchange for North Korea halting nuclear and missile tests. Also stopping the use of harsh words and war talk could add strong wind to the possibility of diplomatically resolving the North Korean nuclear issue without resorting to a destructive war.

Third, Chairman Kim Jong-un should do the same:  immediately cease nuclear and missile tests, actively strive to improve inter-Korean relations through inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges, and actively engage in talks with the United States for the construction of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons.

Thus, the United States, South Korea and North Korea should work together to build a peace on the Korean Peninsula. Freezing North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests and halting U.S.-ROK joint military exercises are two important bridging steps. We want peace, not war. The dark cloud of war must be replaced with a bright ray of hope and peace.

The KOREAN AMERICAN PUBLIC ACTION COMMITTEE (KAPAC)

P.S. This statement appears on New N Joy US.