Dear Friend,
What an extraordinary gathering!
Thank you to everyone who attended last Sunday’s “Midsummer Dreams for Korea Peace,” a fundraiser for Women Cross DMZ held in Los Angeles. We are so grateful to all the community members who not only showed up to support us and our work to end the Korean War, but also to those who sent donations (big and small), volunteered their time and energy, took photos and videos, and otherwise helped make this event possible.
Special thanks to our sponsors: Angell Foundation, Asian Women United, Compton Foundation, and KAPF (Korean American Peace Fund). And to our host committee members: Alexandra Suh, Eunice Kwon, Jai Lee Wong, Jisung Catherine Kim, Leah Hong, Leslie Ito, Stella Chung, and Una Kim. We couldn’t have done it without you!
In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights:
In her introduction, Namhee Lee, Professor and Director of the Center for Korean Studies at UCLA, told the audience, “The Cold War is very much alive on the Korean Peninsula.” Cathi Choi, Women Cross DMZ Co-Director, noted the connections between Korea and Vietnam, such as the fact that more than 300,000 South Korean soldiers fought in the Vietnam War, and that many of those veterans immigrated to Los Angeles and played a central role in the informal armed militia during Sa-I-Gu, the 1992 LA uprising. Reflecting on violence in Gaza as well as in the U.S. political landscape, Women Cross DMZ Co-Director Christine Ahn said, “We must work to build true democracy.”
During the moderated discussion on challenging entrenched narratives of the so-called “forgotten war,” Korean War historian Bruce Cumings warned us that “the next Korean War would be in a flash” and that “the same tripwire situation exists today” as in the 1950s. “I think it’s a war crime for a country of America’s size to constantly threaten a small country [like North Korea] with nuclear weapons,” he said, explaining that the only deterrent North Korea has is its nuclear weapons. Ultimately, he said, the U.S. is responsible for finding a way to peace.
“Censorship in Korea combined with McCarthyism at home meant that the Korean War wasn’t forgotten; it was never known.”
Bruce Cumings
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen talked about how “wars didn’t end just because we said they did,” and how growing up in America, he was acutely aware that “the Vietnam War was being fought over and over again in popular culture.” Recognizing how there can be competing memories and narratives of history, Nguyen talked about the concept of “ethical memory” — which he defines as “memory work that recalls both one’s own as well as others.” At the same time, Nguyen stressed the importance of not turning memory into a “war revenge,” which only “leads us into further warfare and the demonization of others.”
Although his experience in Hollywood producing the film version of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Sympathizer made him realize how undervalued writers are, Nguyen nonetheless sees writers playing an extremely important role. “Narrative change,” he said, “begins with individuals and writers who are willing to sacrifice their lives.”
“We should overcome binaristic narratives… We must recognize that our enemies are human and that we ourselves are also capable of terrible atrocities. It’s our obligation to get into contradictions.”
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Deann Borshay Liem’s films address how war and militarism affect people across generations. In her research on Korean adoption, Borshay Liem discovered how the plight of displaced and orphaned children became the grounds for U.S. intervention, with servicemen positioned as protectors. “Less reported was the widespread bombing and use of napalm that created orphans,” said Borshay Liem. “My work … is to recover and remember the hidden stories of civilians and what some people call ‘war trash’ — orphans, widows, prostitutes, the disabled — to democratize the way we remember the war.”
“Koreans have had to deny the existence of our mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters on the other side of the border. Or we have had to acknowledge them as an enemy. Thinking about peace and how we reconcile and pass these stories on to the next generation, it’s storytelling. … Telling our stories is essential to building this movement.”
Deann Borshay Liem
We also witnessed an incredible performance by artist Dohee Lee and Samsuk Ulim (삼석울림), including drummers Jiae Jang, JaeEun Jun, and Jio Im, who helped us cleanse ourselves and our physical space of negative energy and inherited and experienced trauma. Lee reminded us, “Our life is a bridge.”
We ended the afternoon with bites and drinks in the courtyard, connecting with old friends and making new ones. Stay tuned as we will be sharing a video of the event soon…
As we enter the next chapter of Women Cross DMZ in the new Co-Directorship, we will need your continued support more than ever. Please consider donating if you haven’t already.
Again, thank you for walking with us in this journey toward Korea peace.
Cathi Choi & Christine Ahn
Co-Directors, Women Cross DMZ