Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, held a press conference on Thursday(23rd)to highlight the importance and urgency of the Korean Peninsula Peace Act (HR-1369).( TexasN Catherine Wahrmund)
[Washington, DC=TexasN] In a significant step toward addressing longstanding tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, held a press conference on Thursday to highlight the importance and urgency of the Korean Peninsula Peace Act (HR-1369). The event, held in front of the U.S. Capitol, saw bipartisan support and was organized in collaboration with the Korean American Public Affairs Committee (KAPAC).
Rep. Sherman reintroduced the Korean Peninsula Peace Act last year, emphasizing that the legislation aims to legally end the state of war on the Korean Peninsula, which has persisted since the armistice in 1953. “The Korean Peninsula Peace Act does not solve all the issues on the Korean Peninsula. It is a first step toward legally ending the war,” Sherman stated. “The actual war ended in 1953, but official peace has not been achieved. Even now, 71 years later, we are still technically at war.”
Sherman stressed the necessity of demonstrating a desire for peace by both the United States and South Korea, stating, “We need to show that the United States and South Korea want peace.” He urged the use of negotiating power to halt and eventually reverse North Korea’s nuclear development, which continues to pose a threat not only to regional stability but also to global security.
The Korean Peninsula Peace Act has garnered bipartisan support from 42 federal lawmakers, including notable pro-Trump Republicans like Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ). The act calls on the U.S. government to officially end the state of war on the Korean Peninsula and to establish a liaison office between North Korea and the United States.
Highlighting the humanitarian aspect, Sherman stated, “We must ensure that divided families can reunite. Many Korean Americans have been unable to meet their loved ones. We need to reunite these families.”
This press conference aligns with the core theme of KAPAC’s ‘2024 Korean Peninsula Conference’. Since May 22, KAPAC has been holding the conference in Washington, DC, appealing directly to federal lawmakers to support the Korean Peninsula Peace Act.
Rep. Kim Kyung-hyup of the Democratic Party of Korea, also attending the conference, remarked, “The 80 million people living on the Korean Peninsula have the right to enjoy peace. Although 70 years have passed since the Korean War ceased, we are still technically at war, with recent heightened tensions potentially leading to military clashes and escalation.” He stressed that resolving this instability is crucial and noted that the Korean Peninsula Peace Act is the most practical key to achieving this goal.
The ‘2024 Korean Peninsula Conference’ hosted by KAPAC featured several prominent figures, including Rep. Kim Kyung-hyup, Democratic Party candidates such as David Kim running for Congress in California’s 34th district, Michelle Kang running in Georgia, and Stephanie Chang running for councilwoman in Palisades Park, New Jersey. Other attending politicians included Democratic Party members Kim Hong-gul, Kim Min-cheol, and Chung Chun-sook, as well as People Power Party member Lee Yong-ho.
KAPAC’s efforts echo the actions of former President Kim Dae-jung during his exile in the U.S., when he met with federal lawmakers to discuss issues related to the Korean Peninsula and urged them to support democratization in South Korea. Just as Kim emphasized the role of the U.S. government in supporting South Korean democratization, KAPAC members are now requesting federal lawmakers’ support for establishing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Rep. Sherman concluded the press conference with a hopeful note, “This act can resonate beyond these 42 lawmakers, touching the hearts of the entire Congress and changing the U.S. and the world, paving the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Despite numerous obstacles, I am confident that peace on the Korean Peninsula will contribute to global peace.”
David Kim running for Congress in California’s 34th district
Catherine Wahrmund