Korean Women’s Historic Fight for Justice | February Newsletter
February 10, 2026
Posted in: Newsletters
Dear Friend,
While so much is challenging in today’s political landscape, we received a hopeful update: a new poll shows that a growing majority in the United States support ending the Korean War, lifting sanctions, and diplomacy over escalation.
Last month, Women Cross DMZ hosted a program on the costs of the ongoing Korean War. Over 300 registrants and 200 attendees worldwide tuned in to learn about Korean women’s decades-long fight for justice and redress for human rights abuses in U.S. military camptowns! Watch the full recording here and read excerpts below:
“I am in awe of the bravery of the amazing women in Korea who are standing up for the truth and pursuing justice to hold the U.S. military accountable for these gender-based crimes. Our country is addicted to war, and we know that war and militarism leads to human rights abuses that disproportionately harm women and girls. I stand with survivors of sexual violence from the United States to Korea, and I am with you in your fight for truth and justice.” – U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)
“As members of the International Women’s Network Against Militarism, we honor and respect our Korean halmoni and demand that they receive their due. We also stand firmly to support all efforts to end militarized prostitution and violence against women in the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Okinawa, Guam, and wherever else it exists.” – Margo Okazawa-Rey, International Women’s Network Against Militarism Founding Member
“By bringing to light these human rights abuses from the darkness of history, you are not only fighting for full justice but also educating other Korean women and the general public about one of the many terrible effects of U.S. militarism and U.S. military bases. We wish you further success in your courageous struggle.” – Susan Schnall, Veterans For Peace National President
“We hope this process will provide ample opportunity to listen to the testimonies of the women who were forced into prostitution by the U.S. military. Unveiling the historical reality of the U.S. military’s actions in the base towns is not only a way to redress the harm suffered by these women, but also a way to expose how the military structurally exploits women and how a powerful nation treats the sovereignty and human rights of another country.” – Ha Ju Hee, human rights attorney (translated from Korean)
“Generations of women are being sacrificed to this war. It is long past time for us to put an end to the War and to the accompanying suffering and violence. Understanding camptowns and the militarized sex trade, and understanding why the survivors of this violent system have turned to the legal system to seek accountability is a crucial component of revealing past and current structures of militarism as we work together to build peace.” – Ji-Yeon Yuh, WCDMZ Board Chair and race, gender, and diaspora scholar
Community members also shared heartfelt reflections on the impact of our gathering:
“WCDMZ’s webinar was equal parts inspiring and harrowing: inspiring in its calls to action, and harrowing in its unapologetic indictment of the decades of sexual violence and human rights abuses committed by the U.S. against Korean women. Nothing will ever be enough to truly rectify the trauma endured by these women. But listening to and honoring their demands is the least the U.S. owes, and a necessary step toward accountability and justice. I call on all those in the diaspora to stand in solidarity with survivors and aid in their ongoing reclamation of their stories, dignity, and healing.” – Michelle Mijung Kim, writer and producer
“As a veteran who was stationed in Korea during the time these human rights violations were occurring, I was aware of some of the ‘bar’ culture and STD monitoring done in the military base camptowns. WCDMZ’s webinar further opened my eyes to the extent of the oppression and racism evident in these practices, and this knowledge was so important to hear as someone based in the United States. I hope that fellow veterans and all people in the United States join me in committing to support their fight to secure proper justice and reparations.” – Ellen Barfield, Veterans For Peace
🏵️ Upcoming Events
Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network Monthly Meeting | February 12, 2026 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET | Virtual Event
In moments of uncertainty, having a neighbor who knows how to help can make all the difference. Youngwoon Han, Organizing Director at NAKASEC (National Korean American Service & Education Consortium) will join Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network to share a Immigration Enforcement Bystander Training to help us look out for one another with confidence and care. You’ll learn how to identify enforcement activity in our neighborhoods and discover gentle, effective ways to stand in solidarity. It’s a chance for us to learn how to be a steady presence for our neighbors, ensuring that in our community, no one has to stand alone. RSVP here.
Partition and Solidarity Symposium at the University of Washington | March 6, 2026 | In-Person Event
WCDMZ Executive Director Cathi Choi will speak on “Women’s Rights Under Division: Challenging U.S. Forever War and Militarism in Korea” at the Partition and Solidarity Symposium at the University of Washington. Register here.
70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) Parallel Event | March 13, 2026 at 8:30am EST | In-Person Event
WCDMZ will be in New York at the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) hosting a parallel event: “Social Healing through Advocacy: Women’s Leadership in Historical Redress.” Register here.
📚 Recommended Viewings
From the Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network Education Committee:
- USFK commander highlights ‘centrality’ of S. Korea in security of Indo-Pacific. This article analyzes the Commander General of the US Forces Korea’s recent remarks emphasizing “strategic” importance of US troops facing off with China.
- The Dream of Korean Independence. This article provides a realistic analysis of how dreams of independence cannot be fully realized due to escalating U.S. domination and military brinkmanship.
- How South Korean Billions Will Upgrade Trump’s War Machine. This article takes a deeper look at issues of economic coercion and how Trump’s “tariff war” supports the expansion of the U.S. war machine.
- Civil society protests Trump’s 25% tariff hike, calling it a “violation of sovereignty.” This article reports on protests held in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul against Trump’s 25% tariff hike on South Korean imports.
Congratulations to WCDMZ Advisory Council Member Elizabeth Son! Elizabeth’s article, “Stitching Korea Back Together”: Jogakbo Aesthetics of Care in Peace Advocacy,” was recognized at the Peace History Society’s 2025 biennial conference awards ceremony. “Stitching Korea Back Together” examines Women Cross DMZ’s Korean diasporic and women-led peace advocacy work on ending the Korean War and our historic 2015 crossing of the DMZ, focusing on WCDMZ’s use of the jogakbo, a traditional Korean patchwork-style cloth, and how such objects embody “technologies of care” through which people and collectives practice peace-building and care for one another. The article will be open access for 30 days here.
✌️Follow Women Cross DMZ and Korea Peace Now! on Instagram! Say hello and check out our accounts!
🛍 Support the Korea Peace Movement: Show your support for Korea peace with one of our tote bags, hats, baby onesies, and clothing, available here. All funds will support Korea Peace Now!, our U.S.-based movement for peace in Korea led by Women Cross DMZ. Art by Peter Holland and lazy blender.
In peace,
Women Cross DMZ & Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network