On July 27, 1953, the U.S. signed an Armistice agreement with China and North Korea to temporarily halt the fighting that claimed 4 million lives and divided 10 million families pending a formulation of a peace treaty. Despite the desire of people in North and South Korea for peace and reconciliation, no peace treaty has been signed, though China has normalized relations with the U.S. and South Korea.

Sixty years after the outbreak of the Korean War, the United States continues to have a strong military presence in South Korea including 24 military bases and 28,500 military personnel. The need for a peace treaty is part of a larger political issue of not only bringing peace to a divided Korean peninsula but also developing a regional framework that provides a means for resolving conflicts and promoting peace in Northeast Asia. The issue also impacts 65 percent of inflated global military spending.

Scholars and expert who have worked on military spending and East Asia regional security issues from the U.S., Korea, China, and Japan will hold a special discussion on the current military issues facing each country and how it affects the overall need for peace-building. After the discussion we will walk to the White House and hold a candlelight vigil in the steadfast hope for peace in Korea.

• Workshop is 5:30 – 7:00 PM, in the IPS conference room,
• Candle Light Vigil is 7:30 – 9 PM, in front of the White House, Lafayette Park

Sponsors: National Association of Korean Americans, Institute for Policy Studies’ Foreign Policy in Focus project, and Bongha Washington (Sah Sah Sae). Co-Sponsors: Washington Peace Center, June 15 Committee for Peace and Reunification (U.S. Committee) Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, National Campaign to End the Korean War, World Student Christian Federation of the North American Region, World Student Christian Federation of the Asia-Pacific Region, and Veterans for Peace NYC.