[KSM-CINAP Joint Column 2] Beyond War, Getting to Peace
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2024-07-12 11:37
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The Catholic Institute of Northeast Asia Peace and the Korean Sharing Movement jointly publish a regular column as part of our work to improve inter-Korean relations and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. We welcome your continued interest and support.
Beyond War, Getting to Peace (Friday, June 21)
Korean Sharing Movement
It has been 74 years since the outbreak of the Korean War. The warfare, in which all of the latest and deadliest weapons of the time (excluding nuclear weapons) were employed, lasted for 37 months and “ended” on July 27th, 1953. In a meeting several years ago, the head of a foreign NGO’s Korea office said, “I don’t understand why Korea tends to commemorate June 25th while ignoring the armistice agreement day on July 27th.” In his opinion, even if it did not mean a complete end to the war, the day that the “hot war” in which people were dying and the end of physical violence on July 27th were far more memorable than the day the war began.
Why do we consider the outbreak of the war more important than the ceasefire? Does it serve as a warning to never forget the terrible consequences of war? Indeed, the damage of the war was enormous. The Korean War resulted in more than 2 million casualties (including South and North Koreans, soldiers, and foreign fighters), more than 100,000 war orphans, and approximately 10 million people who suffered separation from their family members. The entire country was in ruins. In the case of North Korea, 80% of industrial, transportation, and public infrastructure—as well as 50% of all housing—was destroyed. Perhaps the most significant reason we cannot be happy about Armistice Day is that we understand the ceasefire is simply a pause in the war, indicating that peace has not yet come. The war is unended. Peace has yet to arrive. There is no peace to celebrate.
When will we be able to fully celebrate peace in this land? That day seems far off, especially considering the current debacle of propaganda leaflets and trash balloons floating across the Korean Peninsula. Moreover, with ongoing missile testing from the North and both small and large joint military exercises being carried out in the South, it seems like the situation is escalating. Experts warn that just a moment of misunderstanding or misjudgment can lead to an accidental confrontation that escalates into open warfare. Both South and North Korea justify their military buildup as appropriate responses to the other side’s “provocations” and “hostile acts,” but military action from one side leads to a military response on the other; and none of us want further instability on the Korean Peninsula. A vicious cycle has been set in motion.
People say, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Even South Korea, a small land which would be difficult to evacuate in the event of war, people feel the threat of war differently depending on their proximity to the North. While many people express concerns about an inter-Korean power confrontation on an abstract level, the fear of war is the daily reality of those living near the border. At a meeting of civil society groups in January, one such resident said, “We are the ones who suffer the most from the escalation of military tensions,” urging the government to “start inter-Korean dialogue to reduce tensions.” On June 3rd, residents of the border region gathered in front of the South Korean President’s office, saying, “Our survival is threatened by the rising tensions between the two Koreas,” again urging the government to stop the escalation.
Efforts to ease tensions and resume dialogue are more urgent than ever. Yet, in the face of a confrontation between South Korea, the world’s fifth-largest military power, and nuclear-armed North Korea, it is possible to feel helpless due to how difficult it is for civil society to access the state’s military and defense apparatus. However, considering the fact that “living free from the horror of war and physical violence” is the minimum condition that citizens can and should demand from their nations, now is the time to raise our voices for peace.
On June 25th, more than 500 South Korean civil society organizations and 80 international partner organizations launched the Korea Peace Action Campaign. This campaign is the continuation of the Korea Peace Appeal, which has been active for the past four years. Through a variety of civic engagement actions, the campaign seeks to prevent accidental clashes and promote crisis management between North and South Korea in the immediate term, while improving inter-Korean relations and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula in the medium to long-term. Additionally, in solidarity with international partner organizations, the campaign will continue educating international audiences about the situation on the Korean Peninsula and work to reduce regional tensions. Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society organizations, including the NGO Council for Inter-Korean Cooperation, the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, and Civil Peace Forum, will campaign for policies to improve inter-Korean relations at South Korea’s National Assembly in the second half of this year. In April, during South Korea's April’s general election, these host organizations started their campaign by evaluating each of the political party’s pledges for inter-Korean relations and civil society peace initiatives. They plan to communicate closely with the political parties and key lawmakers to ensure that solutions for the inter-Korean issue are discussed in depth in South Korea’s legislative body.
“We should be screaming about this right now,” said the moderator, during a recent forum discussion on peace on the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing the seriousness of the standoff between North and South Korea. It can seem that a few people’s appeals or the actions of a handful of organizations may not elicit much response. Nevertheless, at this crucial time, we must “scream” or take whatever other meaningful actions we can. When our lives and the lives of those we love are at stake, what is to stop us from taking action?
