2017-2018 ANNUAL REPORT From Peace Walks to Peace Talks

Mobilizing Women for Peace in Korea LETTER FROM INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR

2018 Steering Committee: Christine Ahn, International Coordinator Kozue Akibayashi, Women’s Int’l League for Peace & Freedom Aiyoung Choi, Nonprofit Management Consultant Dear Friends, Ewa Eriksson-Fortier, Retired Humanitarian Aid Worker Meri Joyce, Peace Boat, Global What a dramatic year it’s been. One year ago, Through talks, webinars, conferences, and the Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict Northeast Asia President Donald Trump threatened to unleash media, we reached millions with our calls for Regional Coordinator “fire and fury” on . Now, the prospect peace and diplomacy. We rallied our partners Gwyn Kirk, Women for Genuine Security Hye-Jung Park, Media Activist of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula in and North Korea, women’s, Ann Wright, Retired US Army looms on the horizon, and Women Cross DMZ is peace, faith-based, humanitarian, and Korean Colonel, Diplomat Nan Kim, Associate Professor, University poised to play a key role in the process. diaspora organizations around the world to call of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for an end to the . We deepened our 2015 Delegation Members: How did we get here? partnerships with the South Korean women’s Gloria Steinem, Author and Activist peace movement, the Nobel Women’s Initiative, Janis Alton, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace The reversal began with the Winter Olympics, and Women’s International League for Peace Medea Benjamin, Code Pink when the two Koreas marched together carrying and Freedom and strengthened the U.S.-based Deann Borshay Liem, Filmmaker Hyun-Kyung Chung, Union the One Korea flag. South Korean President Moon Korea Peace Network. We engaged government Theological Seminary Jae-In and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-Un officials in the United States, South Korea, Jean Chung, Action for One Korea Gay Dillingham, Filmmaker held three inter-Korean summits and signed two North Korea, Canada, other key countries, and Abigail Disney, Filmmaker and declarations, agreeing to family reunions, joint the . Philanthropist Jodie Evans, Code Pink athletic teams, civil society exchanges, and the , 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate reopening of joint economic ventures. South In just three years, Women Cross DMZ has Erika Guevara Rosas, Korea opened a liaison office in Kaesong to become a formidable voice calling for peace. Amnesty International Patricia Guerrero, Liga facilitate year-round communications between Our analysis is sought regularly by MSNBC, de Mujeres Desplazadas and . BBC, CNN, and Democracy Now! and Jane Jin Kaisen, Artist and Filmmaker Vana Kim Hansen, Spiritual Teacher publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Suzy Kim, Rutgers University Then, in a landmark meeting in Singapore, Times, and TIME Magazine. M. Brinton Lykes, Boston University Liza Maza, Gabriela Women’s Alliance President Trump and Chairman Kim committed Mairead Maguire, 1976 to improving relations, establishing a peace Whether protesting outside the Foreign Nobel Peace Laureate Netsai Mushonga, Women’s process, and moving towards denuclearization. Ministers meeting in Vancouver or the U.S. Coalition of Zimbabwe Although Trump administration officials Embassy in Seoul, or breaking new ground Lisa Natividad, Guahan Coalition For Peace & Justice soon returned to their rhetoric of “maximum walking in the DMZ, we continue to call for Ann Patterson, Peace People, pressure,” imposing new sanctions, prolonging women’s inclusion in the peace process because Northern Ireland Suzuyo Takazato, Okinawa Women the U.S. travel ban to North Korea, and impeding we know that when women are involved, not Act Against Military Violence U.S. NGOs’ humanitarian operations, Korean only does it lead to an actual agreement, but a Advisors: leaders continue to advance the wishes of far more durable one. Charles Armstrong, the Korean people to peacefully coexist. In Coleen Baik, Consultant Marie Berry, University of Denver September, the two Koreas signed a historic We have never been this close to ending the Bruce Cumings, University of Chicago military agreement to turn the DMZ into a peace Korean War. Let’s finish the job. Wendi Deetz, Global Fund for Women Cynthia Enloe, Clark University zone, end military exercises, and establish a no- Eve Ensler, Playwright and fly zone along the military line dividing Korea. Thanks to the generous support from our Founder of V-Day Henri Féron, Columbia Law School On October 1, engineers on both sides began to committed donors and the NoVo Foundation’s Kevin Gray, University of Sussex de-mine the DMZ. Radical Hope Fund, we will launch our 2020 Peter Hayes, Nautilus Institute Lois Herman, Women’s UN Women-Led Korea Peace Treaty Campaign with Report Network The Korean War is the longest standing U.S. our partners, mobilizing women worldwide to Victor Hsu, Presbyterian Church, Taiwan Eleana Kim, University of conflict. As a key party to the Korean War push towards a peace agreement by 2020. California, Irvine and a signatory to the Armistice Agreement, Nam-Hee Lee, University of California, Los Angeles the United States must come to the table to We believe in the power of women to bring Sung-ok Lee, United Methodist Women negotiate a permanent settlement by signing a peace, justice, and healing to the Korean Tim Shorrock, Journalist, The Nation Jay Song, University of Melbourne Korea Peace Treaty. Peninsula and the world. Thanks for helping us Alice Walker, Author and Activist end this war. Cora Weiss, International Peace Bureau Ji-Yeon Yuh, Northwestern University That’s where we come in. In the past year, Women Charissa Zehr, Mennonite Cross DMZ was at the center of mobilizing With gratitude and in peace, Central Committee opposition to Trump’s war on North Korea. Staff: Christine Ahn, International Coordinator Hyun Lee, U.S. National Organizer Jacquelyn Wells, Communications Coordinator CHRISTINE AHN Margaret Gerhart, Designer International Coordinator Volunteers: Heng Liu, Wellesley College Tae Lim, University of Michigan Deborah Kim, Rutgers University Erin VanMeter, Auburn University

Cover Image: Women Cross DMZ protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Republic of Korea on May 25, 2018 following Trump’s cancellation of talks with Kim Jong-Un (Photo, Jeehyun Kwon). This Annual Report was created by Margaret Gerhart and Jacquelyn Wells. 2020 Women-Led Korea Peace Treaty Campaign

“In 2015 when 30 women leaders from around the world formed Women Cross DMZ—and actually got permission from North Korea, South Korea and the US to cross that land-mined and desolate strip dividing Korea—it was a radical act of the imagination. Now, the NoVo Radical Hope Fund has contributed $2 million to this peace effort, and leaders on all sides are running to catch up with their followers.”

— Gloria Steinem

omen Cross DMZ Korean women’s peace groups, 2. Tangible de-militarization: has emerged as a the Nobel Women’s Initiative, denuclearization, removal leading voice in and Women’s International of landmines, and W calling for a Korea League for Peace and Freedom. reduction of bases/troops. Peace Treaty. With the formal 3. Women’s leadership and declaration to end the Korean gender-based analysis War on the horizon, we have (government & civil an unprecedented opportunity society) in peace processes. to mobilize women around the 4. Lift broad-based world to educate, organize, and sanctions against North advocate together for a Korea Korea, especially those Peace Treaty. impacting humanitarian conditions. Our dream of launching a 2020 OUR GOALS BY 2020: 5. Redefine security from Women-Led Korea Peace Treaty national security based Campaign was realized when 1. Peace-building process on war and militarism to the NoVo Foundation awarded including a formal ending a feminist understanding a $2 million, two-year grant of the Korean War, a of security centered on to Women Cross DMZ and Korea Peace Treaty, and basic human needs and our campaign partners: South normalized relations. ecological sustainability.

L to R Top: 2015 DMZ Crossing, Paju, South Korea (Photo, Stephen Wunrow); Campaign partners retreat, Sonoma, CA, July 2018. L to R Bottom: 2020 Campaign meeting, , September 2018; Washington, D.C. Working Group meeting, September 2018.

WOMEN CROSS DMZ 03 OUR MISSION Women Cross DMZ mobilizes women globally for peace in Korea through education, advocacy & organizing

EDUCATION to transform the ceasefire to a In Ottawa and Vancouver, peace treaty. with our Canadian sister Women Cross DMZ has organizations, we urged the educated millions worldwide Christine Ahn joined Senator Trudeau administration to through our talks, webinars, for a Move pursue a more constructive conferences, and appearances On teach-in commemorating approach that aligned with its in the media about the the 15th anniversary of the feminist foreign policy. urgency to resolve the Korean U.S. war on Iraq, with 80,000 War through peace and online viewers. We seized In Seoul, our delegation met diplomacy. every opportunity to open with diplomats at the U.S., people’s minds and hearts U.K., Japanese, Swedish, We led national efforts to that peace is the only solution and Canadian embassies to challenge President Trump’s for resolving the Korean discuss women’s critical role threats to “totally destroy” conflict. in supporting the Korea peace North Korea by organizing process. online teach-ins that provided ADVOCACY historical context and analysis With the Korea Peace to understand how the U.S. In the past year, Women Network, six WCDMZ and North Korea were on the Cross DMZ met with senior members gathered in brink of war. officials from the U.S., South Washington, D.C. on June Korea, North Korea, Canada, 13, a day after the Trump- We held webinars with global and other countries to Kim Summit in Singapore, to experts on a range of topics, advocate for diplomacy and a urge members of Congress including how sanctions peace agreement to permanently to support the peace process. harm innocent lives and how end the Korean War. Over 75 Korea Peace

L to R Top: Bernie Sanders & Christine Ahn w/ Moveon.org; Miran Jang, Mairead Maguire, Christine Ahn & Jeong-Ae Ahn-Kim, Press Conference, Seoul, May 2018. L to R Bottom: Jang-Lee Jing-Soo, Katherine Ronderos, Yifat Susskind, Int’l Women’s Peace Symposium, ROK National Assembly, Seoul, May 2018; Kozue Akibayashi, Vancouver Women’s Forum, Vancouver, January 2018.

04 WOMEN CROSS DMZ L to R Top: Canadian Parliamentary Secretary Matt DeCourcey w/ Vancouver Women’s Forum; Int’l. Women’s Peace Symposium, ROK National Assembly, Seoul, May 2018; Dan Jasper, Christine Ahn, Congresswoman (HI), Ann Wright, Washington, DC, June 2018. L to R Bottom: Women Peace Korea Delegates at U.S. Embassy, Seoul, May 2018; Christine Ahn w/ Canadian Foreign Minister Freeland, Vancouver, January 2018; Candlelight Vigil at Comfort Woman Statue, Seoul, May 2018. (Photos: Chelsea Brooke Roisum & Jeehyun Kwon).

Network delegates traveled share our views with Foreign PUBLIC SPEAKING VENUES from 22 states across the Minister Chrystia Freeland Beyond the Bomb, Los Angeles, CA country to meet with their at a civil society roundtable Center for Political Education, Oakland, CA representatives and key the Canadian government First Unitarian Universalist Society of Members of the House and established as a result of Albany, NY Senate. pressure from us. First Universalist Church of Southold, NY Friends Quaker House, Honolulu, HI ORGANIZING From May 22-28, we held Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA several events, including Human Rights Council at the UN Palais Over the past 12 months, an international women’s de Nations, Geneva, Switzerland Women Cross DMZ peace symposium at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, CA successfully created new ROK National Assembly Korea Peace Network Summit, partnerships and increased and a women’s DMZ peace Washington, D.C. Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, our capacity to press for walk with over 1,200 South Simon Fraser Univ., Vancouver, peace, diplomacy, and Koreans. We were the first Canada women’s inclusion in civilians to walk across the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Santa Barbara, CA peacebuilding. Unification Bridge in the Pacific Command, U.S. Department of DMZ. Defense, Hawaii Ploughshares Fund Annual Conference, From January 16-18, Washington, DC as the U.S. and Canada Our trip coincided with Republic of Korea National Assembly, convened a high-level Korea President Trump canceling Seoul, South Korea State University of New York, Albany, summit in Vancouver, his meeting with Kim Jong- NY WCDMZ mobilized women Un, so we held protests United Methodist Church Conference, Washington, D.C. peacemakers to urge the outside the U.S. Embassy UN DPA Northeast Asia Women, Peace foreign ministers to prepare urging President Moon to and Security Forum, Beijing, the table for peace talks with “Pick up the phone!” and China UN Commission on the Status of North Korea. call Chairman Kim. The next Women, New York, NY day, as we were walking in University of California, Irvine University of Denver Inclusive Global We organized a three- the DMZ, Moon and Kim Leadership Initiative, Denver, CO day program of strategic were meeting just miles University of Minnesota Law School in discussion, engagement away to get Washington and St. Paul, MN Veterans for Peace Annual Convention, with ministers and media, Pyongyang back on track. Minneapolis, MN and events, including a Women’s Action for New Direction Mother’s Day Conference, Atlanta, candlelight vigil and a GA teach-in. Several of our World Beyond War Conference, delegates were invited to Toronto, Canada

WOMEN CROSS DMZ 05 MEDIA FEATURING WCDMZ

Al Jazeera Int’l Samantha Bee PRIs The World Al Jazeera The The Globe & Mail The Real News Stream Network AM Joy, MSNBC Rising Up with The Associated Historians.org Sonali Press In Depth News RT America BBC World News Inkstick South China Bustle The Intercept Morning Post Canadian In These Times TIME Magazine Broadcasting The Katie Halper Times Colonist Corporation Show The Washington CBS News KPFA Flashpoints Post Citations Needed Kyodo News Truthout Podcast The Los Angeles TRT News Common Dreams Times Winnipeg Free CNN Loud and Clear Press CTV News Mainichi Japan YES Magazine The Current, CBC Ms. Magazine World Focus, KPFK Democracy Now! National Observer Wider View Radio The Fact The Nation Times Union Fairness in Accuracy Suddeutsche Trump Watch in Reporting Zeitung Podcast Foreign Policy In Sputnik Int’l News Social Justice Focus Ottawa Citizen Journal L to R Top: Democracy Now!; AM Joy on MSNBC. Fortune Magazine Open Democracy Wall Street Journal L to R Bottom: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee; BBC World News. Full Frontal with Peace Insight Zoom in Korea

WOMEN CROSS DMZ In The News:

“Trump’s State of the Union Korea’s economy to grow and “[President Moon’s] job is sought to build the moral case develop.” to connect the rails between for a U.S. preventive war to – Christine Ahn Op-ed, Fortune Washington and Pyongyang, ‘liberate’ North Koreans,” says Magazine, March 9, 2018 as relations have clearly gotten Christine Ahn, founder of off track,” said Christine Ahn, Women Cross DMZ, a group “The two moves indicate the founder of Women Cross that mobilizes women for women are playing a more DMZ, a group that seeks inter- Korean peace. The speech, she important role in the Korean peace. says, was “highly reminiscent country’s diplomacy” says – Los Angeles Times, May 21, of George W. Bush’s ‘Axis of Christine Ahn, International 2018 Evil’ speech in 2002 before the Coordinator of Women U.S. went to war with Iraq.” Cross DMZ, which advocates “Respect and reciprocity – TIME Magazine, January 31, 2018 for peace on the Korean are key elements in Korean peninsula. culture. During our recent “Yet if there were ever a trip to South Korea as part U.S. president capable of “We at Women Cross DMZ of an international women’s striking an impossible deal, feel very heartened and peace delegation, South it is Trump. But first, he must hopeful about the diplomatic Korean women complained educate himself about North and peace gestures coming that Donald Trump’s erratic Korea’s long-held demand from all sides – Seoul, conduct showed disrespect for a peace treaty, or at least Pyongyang, Washington for the mediating role of their nonaggression pact, to replace and Beijing -- and welcome president, Moon Jae-in.” the 1953 armistice agreement, the participation of women, – Medea Benjamin & Ann Wright which would normalize including from the DPRK, at Op-ed in The Guardian, June 4, relations and allow North all levels.” 2018 – CNN, April 18, 2018

06 WOMEN CROSS DMZ Growing Community INVESTING IN WOMEN’S PEACEBUILDING

“We have been proud of the ways that WCDMZ has been on the frontlines of disrupting the Trump administration’s war agenda through high-profile letter campaigns, conferences, media, education, advocacy and organizing. They are one of the leanest and most strategic organizations we know!” — Katrin Wilde, Executive Director, Channel Foundation 2017 REVENUE & EXPENSES

Thanks to our generous community of donors, WCDMZ raised over $200,000 in 2017. We organized conferences and walks and reached millions worldwide through talks, webinars, and media on a shoestring budget of Gloria Steinem, Anne Delaney, Aiyoung Choi, Christine Ahn, and Women Cross DMZ Members, Spring Benefit, March 2018 (Photos, Coleen Baik). $118,000.

That’s because we partner administrative and finance uplifting performances with other organizations support. To better align from local artists. and steward carefully every with their accounting donation we receive. Our systems, we shifted from Our growing community work is possible only because a calendar year (January 1 of supporters enabled of the strong movement of to December 31) to a fiscal us to raise over $30,000 supporters like you who year (July 1 to June 30). to support our efforts believe in women’s vital work to mobilize women for in building lasting peace in Our FY 2018/2019 peace in Korea. Korea and the world. budget (July 1-June 30) is $482,000. A surplus of 2020 & BEYOND 2017 Expenses: $88,000 from 2017 gave $117,571 us a strong start this year, 3% We still need to raise 59% Consulting & as did the generous NoVo $118,000 by March 1, 15% Professional Fees 23% Conferences Foundation grant for our 2019 to implement our 23% 59% & Meetings peace treaty campaign. core work of mobilizing 15% Administrative Costs As of October 1, 2018, we women through 3% Fundraising raised $364,000 and spent education, advocacy and Costs $138,000. organizing. 4% 3% 2017 Revenue: $201,503 SPRING BENEFIT We also have ambitious 59% Foundations 34% plans to mobilize key 59% 34% Individuals 4% Corporate / On March 9, 2018, U.S. cities to press for a Religious WCDMZ held a sold-out peace treaty, establish a 3% Speaking Fees Spring Benefit in New Northeast Asia regional York City. Hosted by a network of women’s formidable committee groups, and bring 2018 - 2019 led by Aiyoung Choi South Korean women FISCAL YEAR and Jacquelyn Wells, the Parliamentarians to As the fiscal sponsor for evening included inspiring Washington, D.C. to the 2020 Campaign, the words from Gloria dialogue with U.S. Peace Development Fund is Steinem, Anne Delaney, Congresswomen to providing WCDMZ critical and Christine Ahn and advance a Peace Treaty.

WOMEN CROSS DMZ 07 OUR SUPPORTERS

INDIVIDUAL Erica Wiken Jung Ha Peter M. Gerhart INSTITUTIONAL Peace Action Fund DONORS Eugene Schwanke Kathleen Marra Regina Clancy DONORS of New York State Aditi Davray Eunhee Kauweloa Kern Eccles Peter Rasmussen ARCA Foundation Ploughshares Fund Aiyoung Choi Ewa Eriksson- Ki-Bun Koo Regina Gray Benjamin Fund Inc. Samuel Rubin Alan Nayer Fortier Kwan Nam Richard Crerie Channel Foundation Alexander K. Choi Frank Baldwin Lap W. Chan Robert H. Stiver Foundation Starry Night Fund Andrew J. Seigner Gayle Wells Lauren U. Lee Rune Horneland CODEPINK Stewart R. Mott Ann Kittredge Glenda Paige Linda Gore Sarah Haubner Compton Foundation Ann Wright Gloria Steinem Margaret Gerhart Shari Brink Foundation Trinity United Anne Liske Greg Chou Margaret Ness Sunny Xiang Don and Lore Methodist Church Anonymous Greta Schiller Matthew Brock Susan Alt Rasmussen Fund United Methodist Arla S. Ertz Gwyneth Kirk Matthew Viscuse Susan Davidoff Georgia W.A.N.D. Women Arnold Kawano Helen Song Melissa G. Reinberg Suzy Kim Education Fund WILPF Art Chang Hye-Jung Park Michael Covey T. Walter Herbert Janelia Foundation World Beyond War Barbara Benanti In-sook Koo Michael M Yi Theresa Kim Morgan Stanley Barbara Nielsen Jackie Quan Miriam Louie Thomas Layton Smith Barney Special thanks to Burton R. Kassell Jacqueline Huey Myung S. Chung Thomas I. Miller Global Impact Edward Krauland, Camille Scribner Jacquelyn Wells Namhee Lee Thomas Robinson Funding Trust Inc. Elizabeth Arkell & Carol P. Murphy Jae McGuire Nan Kim-Paik Vera Khan NoVo Foundation Steptoe Johnson, LLP Chia W. Hamilton James E. Best Pamela Albers Wei Zhang Nuclear Age Peace for providing pro Christine Ahn Jane Han Patricia Kozu Wendi Deetz Foundation bono legal services. Cora Weiss Jane Hirschmann Cynda C. Arsenault Janis Alton Cynthia H. Enloe Jennifer Kim David Guerrero John P. Foz David Knutten John Wells David W. Silver John Yoo Devi Leiper Joseph Han Dr. Byungchul Joan Hadden Kang Joy Lieberthal Elaine I. Ko J.T. Takagi Elizabeth J.Young Judy Gorman Elizabeth L. Colton Julie A. Chi

May 2018 Korea Peace Walk (Photo, Jeehyun Kwon).

Send checks to: Peace Development Fund & Women Cross DMZ P.O. Box 40250 San Francisco, CA 94140-0250 Donate online www.womencrossdmz.org

Support Women Cross DMZ to educate, organize, and advocate for a peace agreement to end the Korean War. Your donation will help us amplify calls for peace and diplomacy and build a strong organization to ensure women’s leadership in the Korea peace process. We will press for a seat at the table, while setting our own.