March 3, 2022
Honorable Wendy Sherman
Deputy Secretary of State
United States of America
Madame Choe Son-hui
First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Dear Honorable Wendy Sherman and Madame Choe Son-hui,
We are international women leaders writing to you, as the highest-ranking women diplomats in your respective countries, in the hopes that you will represent the interests of women. In light of the dangerous increasing tensions between the United States (U.S.) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), we believe the two countries are headed toward further escalation and possible military confrontation.
We are appealing to you at this critical juncture to please do what you can to make sure the table is set to reach the best possible diplomatic solution between the U.S. and the D.P.R.K. and other key stakeholders. Diplomacy through authentic engagement and dialogue is the best way to build trust and tangibly reduce tensions and make progress on peace in Korea.
In order to break the current deadlock between the two countries, the U.S. must give up its “maximum pressure” campaign. Without substantive policy changes to the U.S.’ policy towards North Korea, progress will not be achievable.
We hope that the U.S. and the D.P.R.K. will pick up where negotiations left off in 2019 and follow through on commitments made in the Singapore Declaration to improve relations and create a lasting peace. Specifically, we hope the two countries will begin the process toward the signing of a peace agreement to formally end the Korean War — the root cause of tensions and hostilities on the Korean Peninsula.
As women advocates for peace, we are concerned about how continued tensions impact the lives of millions of people on the Korean Peninsula, especially women: Families have been ripped apart. Sanctions have adverse consequences on humanitarian aid and human rights, especially for women and children. Investments in the military reduce the ability of governments to meet the basic needs of their people.
We also know that women are powerful agents for peace. We urge you to meet and work together to break this vicious cycle of escalation on the Korean Peninsula and secure a more peaceful future for Koreans and Americans.
Sincerely,
1. Christine Ahn, Women Cross DMZ, Executive Director, USA
2. Kozue Akibayashi, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (Japan), Japan
3. Georgia Darehshori, Casa Karma, Peacebuilder, Mexico4. Janis Alton, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Canada
5. Emma Belcher, President, Ploughshares Fund, USA/Australia
6. Medea Benjamin, Co-Founder, CODEPINK, USA
7. Marie E. Berry, Professor, University of Denver, USA
8. Taina Bien-Aime, Executive Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women USA
9. Barbara Briggs-Letson, CODEPINK, USA
10. Maria Butler, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Ireland
11. Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, USA
12. Youngmi Cho, Korean Women's Movement for Peace, Republic of Korea
13. Youngsook Cho, Ambassador for Gender Equality, ROK, Republic of Korea
14. Aiyoung Choi, Board Chair, Women Cross DMZ, USA
15. Don Mee Choi, Poet, 2020 National Book Award for Poetry, USA
16. Sunghee Choi, Peace Activist, Gangjeong Jeju Island, Republic of Korea
17. Sooknam Choo, Civil Rights Lawyer, LCSW-Bereavement Counselor, USA
18. Rachel Clark, Veterans for Peace, USA
19. Cynda Collins Arsenault, co-founder Secure World Foundation, One Earth Future Foundation, Arsenault Family Foundation, USA
20. Wendi Deetz, Women Cross DMZ, USA
21. Jeannie Diefenderfer, CourageNpurpose, LLC, USA
22. Ani DiFranco, Singer and Songwriter, USA
23. Gay Dillingham, Filmmaker, USA
24. Anne E. Delaney, Starry Night Fund, USA
25. Abigail Disney, Filmmaker, USA
26. Maud Easter, Women Against War, USA
27. Shirin Ebadi, Human Rights Lawyer, 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate, Iran
28. Jodie Evans, Co-Founder, CODEPINK, USA
29. Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Switzerland
30. Jane Fonda, Actor, Activist, USA
31. Eva Eriksson Fortier, Humanitarian Aid Worker, Sweden
32. Dr. Ann Frisch, Prof. Emerita, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh US, Chair Rotary Action Group for Peace Nuclear Weapons Education, USA
33. Leymah Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, Liberia
34. Patricia Guerrero, Lawyer, 2017 American Bar Association Human Rights Award, Colombia
35. Sara Haghdoosti, Executive Director, Win Without War, USA
36. Alexandra Han, Nodutdol, USA
37. Mi-Kyoung Han, Korea Women’s Alliance, Republic of Korea
38. Mimi Han, Vice President, World YWCA, Republic of Korea
39. Nataly Jung-Hwa Han, Chairwoman of Korea Verband, Germany
40. Leila Hessini, Global Fund for Women, USA
41. Lisa M Holton, Holton Consulting, USA
42. Rebekah Jaung, New Zealand Coalition for Inter-Korean Peace, New Zealand
43. Seung Hee Jeon, New England Korea Peace Campaign, USA
44. Sally E Jones, Peace Action Fund of New York State, USA
45. Dr. Rebecca R. Johnson, ED, Acronym Intl. Disarmament Diplomacy, United Kingdom
46. Meri Joyce, Global Partnership for Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), Australia/Japan
47. Tawakkol Karman, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, Yemen
48. Jeongsoo Kim, Women Making Peace, Republic of Korea
49. Nan Kim, Professor, University of Wisconsin, USA50. Shawn Kim, Stanford University, Director of Special Programs, USA
51. Suzy Kim, Professor of Korean History, USA
52. Tammy Kim, Councilmember, City of Irvine, CA, USA
53. Gwyn Kirk, Women for Genuine Security, USA
54. You-Kyung Ko, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Republic of Korea
55. Cynthia Lazaroff, Women Transforming Our Nuclear Legacy, USA
56. Jae-Jung Lee, National Assembly Member, Foreign Affairs Committee, Republic of Korea
57. Catherine Anne Lutz, Brown University, USA
58. Ann Kittredge, CODE PINK, USA
59. Emma Leslie, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Cambodia
60. M. Brinton Lykes, Professor & Co-Director, Center for Human Rights & International Justice, Boston College, USA
61. Elizabeth MacQueen, Director, MacQueen Fine Art, USA
62. Mairead Maguire, 1976 Nobel Peace Laureate, Northern Ireland
63. Liza Maza, former Member of Parliament, Philippines
64. Rhonda Joy McLean, Board Member, Columbia University, USA
65. Bridget Moix, General Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation, USA
66. Senator Marilou McPhedran, Senate of Canada, Canada
67. Tania Miletic, Initiative for Peacebuilding, University of Melbourne, Australia
68. Lisa Linda Salas Natividad, I Hagan Famalao'an Guahan, Guam
69. Margo Okazawa-Rey, San Francisco State University Professor Emerita, USA
70. Lynne Park, New Zealand Coalition for Inter-Korean Peace, New Zealand
71. Tania Principe, Nobel Women's Initiative, Interim Executive Director, Canada
72. Kavita Nandini Ramdas, Social Justice Activist and Philanthropic Advisor, USA
73. Lalita Ramdas, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, former board member Green Peace, India
74. Dr. Sagari Ramdas, Food Sovereignty Alliance, USA
75. Madeleine Rees, Secretary General, WILPF, United Kingdom
76. Emily Rubino, Peace Action New York State, USA
77. Stephanie Savell, Co-Director, Costs of War Project, Brown University, USA
78. Susan Schnall, Veterans for Peace, USA
79. Maya Soetoro, Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, USA
80. Jay Song, Associate Professor of Korean Studies, University of Melbourne, Australia
81. Gloria Steinem, Feminist, Author, Presidential Medal of Freedom Award Recipient, USA
82. Yifat Susskind, Executive Director, MADRE, USA
83. Patti Talbott, Team Leader, Global Partnership Program, The United Church of Canada, Canada
84. Madison Tang, CODE PINK, USA
85. Vivian Tseng, Philanthropist, Asian Women Giving Circle, USA
86. Corazon Valdez Fabros, International Peace Bureau, Philippines
87. Ria Verjauw, Spokesperson International Coalition for a Ban on Uranium Weapons, Belgium
88. Cora Weiss, UN Representative, International Peace Bureau, USA
89. Cindy Wiesner, Executive Director, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, USA
90. Jody Williams, 1997 Nobel Peace Laureate, USA
91. Rev. Dr. Lois Wilson, Former Moderator, United Church of Canada, Canada
92. Colonel Ann Wright, Veterans for Peace, USA
93. Leslie Wright, Peace Activist, USA
94. Amelia Wu, Ibis Reproductive Health, USA
95. Sunyoung Yang, Political Director, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, USA
96. Joy Yoon, Humanitarian Aid Worker, IGNIS Community, USA/Republic of Korea97. Ji-Yeon Yuh, Professor, Northwestern University, USA
98. Salma Yusuf, Human Rights Lawyer, Sri Lanka
99. Greta Zarro, Organizing Director, World BEYOND War, USA
100. Natalia Zhurina, Nuclear Disarmament Expert, Russia
