Washington, D.C. (April 27, 2018) — South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made history Friday by declaring that they will seek to get rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons and will formally end the Korean War.
“The Council of Korean Americans (CKA) is cautiously optimistic and applauds the pursuit of peace by the two Koreas,” said CKA’s Interim Executive Director Jessica Lee. “These countries have suffered from excessive hostilities for too long. Today, we hope for closure to this painful past and celebrate the benchmarks that are in place to usher peace into the Korean Peninsula, including opening liaison offices in Kaesong.”
“This is a watershed moment that signals the potential for real diplomatic engagement to achieve calm and stability at a time when both have been elusive,” said CKA Board Chair Dr. June Lee. “We urge the U.S. government to redouble its diplomatic resources to ensure that the upcoming talks between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are successful, using nonviolent means to resolve their differences. Let us capture the hope of this moment to advance common interests, build trust, and implement lasting peace.”
The Council of Korean Americans (CKA) has been a leading national voice for Korean Americans on the North Korea since 2016. CKA has raised awareness about the human cost of potential war with North Korea at its annual National Summit & Gala in Washington, D.C. as well as organized dozens of educational events at the White House, Congress, State Department, Defense Department, and across major cities.
CKA’s upcoming events on North Korea include a public educational conference on North Korea at Harvard University (April 28); a public discussion featuring Dr. Victor Cha and CKA’s Jessica Lee at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas (May 29); and a series of events with the American Jewish Committee in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle featuring a North Korean defector this fall. Our fourth annual National Summit & Gala will be held on Nov. 16-17, 2018 at the Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C.
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