The bill was proposed in May in time for Moon’s U.S. visit…a ‘birds of a feather flock together bill’ that is only supported by leftist Democrats includes a declaration to end the war on the Korean Peninsula, to establish U.S.-North Korea liaison office…experts say, “without the North’s denuclearization, it’s just a piece of paper.”
Translation of the NewDaily Article Written by Reporter Jeon Kyung-woong
The ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act’ proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives in May is drawing attention once more as there are plans to amend the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, which will allow local governments to freely give aid to North Korea. The bill includes proposals such as ‘calling for a formal end to the Korean War and a peace agreement’ and ‘establishing liaison offices of North Korea and the United States.’
U.S. security experts stated that, “Without North Korea’s denuclearization, this bill is meaningless,” and predicts, “It will be difficult to pass.”
U.S. Representative Brad Sherman introduced the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act’ in May
On May 20 (local time), U.S. House Democrats Brad Sherman, Andy Kim, Ro Khanna, and Grace Meng introduced the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act.’
Sherman, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said, “Common sense tells us that [the Korean War (armistice signed)] ended in July 1953…Therefore, we technically remain in a state of war with North Korea. This situation does not serve anyone’s interest.”
Sherman went on to explain that “the bill calls for a peace agreement constituting a formal end to the Korean War, to establish liaison offices of North Korea and the United States, and to conduct a full review on the restrictions barring United States nationals from traveling to North Korea.”
Based on the April 27, 2018, joint Panmunjom Declaration, to establish a permanent and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula, the bill requires the Secretary of State along with the two Koreas work in pursuit of a binding peace agreement constituting a formal and final end to the state of war. This means that the armistice will be replaced by a peace treaty. It goes on to stipulate that within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this bill, a report that describes a clear roadmap for achieving a permanent peace agreement shall be submitted to Congress.
Based on the joint statement made at the June 2018 U.S.-North Korea Singapore Summit, the bill also requires the State Department to enter negotiations to establish liaison offices in Washington, D.C. and Pyongyang as well as to conduct a full review of the restrictions barring U.S. nationals from traveling to North Korea.
How is the Democratic Party of Korea (DP) involved with the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act’?
Sherman introducing the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act’ has become a hot topic in South Korea because the following day was President Moon Jae-in’s scheduled visit to the U.S. At that time, a press release released by Rep. Kim Kyung-hyup of the DP raised suspicions that the South Korean ruling party was involved with Sherman’s bill.
Rep. Kim’s office released a press release on its official blog, “The U.S. [will introduce] the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act and South Korea [will amend] the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act for local governments.” “The relationship between Brad Sherman (12th term, Democratic Party, California), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Kim Kyung-hyup, is a hot topic,” Kim’s office said. “The two lawmakers met on October 12, 2019, at the ‘KAPAC Gala’ in L.A., hosted by the Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC, President Choi Kwang-chul). They met while making keynote speeches and lectures on ‘ROK-U.S. alliance needed for peace on the Korean peninsula’ at the gala and formed a shared bond on the peace process on the Korean peninsula.”
At the time, Rep. Kim said, “Rep. Brad Sherman is an American congressional diplomatic expert who has continued to pay close attention to issues on the Korean peninsula, including sponsoring a resolution to end the Korean War during his previous term” and he added, “We will continue to exchange opinions to establish a peace process on the Korean peninsula.”
The resolution ‘Calling for a formal end of the Korean war’ mentioned by Rep. Kim was a bill introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna in [April 2019]. However, the resolution was automatically scrapped without being reviewed by the committee. Rep. Khanna became a co-sponsor of Sherman’s ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act.’
Why did ‘Women Cross DMZ’ campaign to pass the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act’?
In July, Voice of America (VOA) broadcasted a report on the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act.’ The broadcast reported, “The Korea Peace Partnership, which includes an organization that promotes peace and defense on the Korean peninsula, is holding a week-long lobbying event called the ‘National Action to End the Korean War’.”
According to the report, about 230 constituents from 31 states participated in this lobbying event directed at Congress. Through virtual lobby visits with 167 Congressional offices, they reportedly called for support to bills related to signing a peace treaty on the Korean peninsula, strengthening humanitarian aid to North Korea, and U.S.-North Korea separated family’s reunion.
The broadcast claimed, “In a statement made by the Women Cross DMZ, one of the organizations that hosted the event, by officially ending the Korean War with a peace treaty, it will be the most realistic way to prevent an arms race in Korea and Northeast Asia.”
The broadcast added, “However, the left-wing faction (progressive camp) of the Democratic Party is the only ones who support the declaration of the end of the war, the signing of a peace treaty on the Korean peninsula and strengthening humanitarian aid to North Korea.” Brad Sherman, Ro Khanna, Andy Kim, and Grace Meng, who co-sponsored the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act,’ are all members of the ‘Congressional Progressive Caucus’, and although five more have sponsored the bill since, they are mostly members of the ‘Progressive Caucus’.
The broadcast quoted Ami Bera, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation, “The general perception in the U.S. Congress is that the declaration of the end of the war should be linked to North Korea’s specific denuclearization measures, and having access is important for humanitarian aid to North Korea, but North Korea does not allow it,” and went on to criticize that, “The declaration of the end of the war and the peace treaty should not viewed from only one side.”
U.S. security expert says, “The Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act? It could undermine South Korea’s security.”
The day after Rep. Sherman introduced the ‘Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act,’ U.S. security experts criticized the bill and said it would be “difficult to pass,” according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA).
David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said at the time, “The declaration of the end of the war urged by the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act could undermine the security situation in South Korea, so there will be opposition from within the U.S. Congress.” He also pointed out, “As a result, the U.S. Congress can break bipartisan cooperation on security issues on the Korean peninsula that have lasted for a long time.”
Maxwell criticized, “The declaration of the end of the war without change from North Korea’s hostile attitude is no help to South Korea’s national security, and it can weaken its negotiating power by granting conditions demanded by North Korea.”
Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, slammed, “The transition to a peace regime on the Korean peninsula, including the declaration of the end of the war, should be part of the process of denuclearizing North Korea and reconciliation between the two Koreas,” and went on to say, “This bill (the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act), which does not include denuclearization of North Korea, is just a mere document.”
http://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2021/08/25/2021082500147.html
