International Peace Day: Civil society organizations call for end of Korean War

We must not go back to the days dominated by hostility and anxiety  

In 1991, after the global Cold War ended, the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) agreed upon mutual respect and non-aggression in the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement. In 2000, the two Koreas held their first summit, which opened an era of exchange and cooperation. In 2018, the first-ever summit between North Korea and the United States took place, along with three inter-Korean summits. Since the war has not officially ended, however, the vicious cycle of the last 30 years has been repeating, where trust easily turns into distrust.  

History has proven that hostile policies aimed at discrediting and forcing one side to yield have failed to resolve the conflict on the Korean Peninsula, instead only aggravating it. The Peninsula under the unstable armistice has suffered threats of nuclear war, and the tensions have fuelled a global arms race and nuclear proliferation. Without an end to the War, the denuclearization of the Peninsula will not be achieved. We call upon the governments involved to take sincere and responsible action: End the Korean War now.  

Let’s change the Korean Peninsula from a symbol of confrontation and conflict into one of peaceful coexistence  

We envisage a future where the people of the Korean Peninsula, East Asia and the world cooperate and coexist peacefully. We hope our resources will be used for safety and happiness, for environmental sustainability and a society without discrimination, instead of preparing for war. Now, let’s end the Korean War with our own hands and make a future that has escaped us for 70 years. Let’s join our voices so that our passionate wish for peace reverberates around the world.