33회, 해외에서 북미 정상 회담 지지 성명 및 관련 행사 잇따라 열려, 잊혀진 전쟁의 기억 무료 상영

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역사적인 남북정상회담과 다가올 북미정상회담에 관한

재미동포 및 미국인 벗들의 성명

남과 북의 정상들이 진행한 역사적인 4월 27일 판문점회담 이후 한반도에서는 장구한 긴장과 전쟁위협이 누그러지고 평화와 화해의 전도가 펼쳐지고 있습니다. 곧 북미정상회담이라는 또 하나의 역사적인 회담이 열리게 됩니다. 얼마 전까지만 해도 아슬아슬한 전쟁접경지대에 다가섰던 쌍방이 마침내 마주앉아 코리아전쟁 평화타결을 주제로 한 대화를 하게 된 것입니다. 한반도의 운명, 동북아의 안전, 더 나아가서는 세계평화문제와 직결된 이 중요한 북미정상회담에 전세계인의 이목이 쏠리고 있습니다.

한반도의 자주적 평화통일을 염원하여 투쟁해왔던 우리 재미동포들, 그리고 평화와 정의의 편에 서서 코리아의 평화옹호를 바라 마지않는 우리 미국인 벗들은 최근의 남북정상회담과 앞으로 있을 북미정상회담에 관련하여 우리의 입장과 견해를 밝히고자 합니다.

1. 우리는 ‘한반도의 평화와 번영, 통일을 위한 판문점선언’을 지지합니다.

판문점선언에서 남과 북의 정상들은 “한반도에 더 이상 전쟁은 없을 것이며 새로운 평화의 시대가 열리었음을 8천만 우리 겨레와 전세계에 엄숙히 천명”하였습니다. 또 남과 북의 정상들은 판문점선언을 통해자주통일의 길로 함께 나갈 것을 약속하였습니다.

남과 북의 정상들은 손에 손잡고 분단과 대결의 상징인 군사분계선을 넘나드는 것으로써 그 인위적인 분단선에는 분단과 대결의 상징으로 가졌던 영향력이 더 이상 존재하지 않는다는 것을 안팎에 대고 보여주었습니다. 남과 북의 정부들과, 남과 북, 해외의 8천만 겨레가 한마음으로 뭉쳐 판문점선언을 이행해간다면 한반도에 평화와 번영, 통일의 시대가 활짝 열릴 것입니다.

2. 우리는 북미정상회담을 환영합니다.

우리는 다가올 북미정상회담이 북과 미국의 70년간 적대관계를 청산하고 새로운 평화시대를 한반도, 동북아 및 전세계에 펼쳐주게 되기를 소망합니다.

따라서 우리는 다음과 같이 촉구합니다.

1) 북과 미국은 ‘한반도 비핵화’를 약속하고 이를 성실히 이행해야 합니다.

남과 북은 판문점선언을 통해 “완전한 비핵화를 통해 핵 없는 한반도를 실현한다는 공동의 목표를 확인”하였습니다. ‘한반도 비핵화’는 ‘북핵 폐기’뿐만 아니라 한반도 전역, 남과 북의 영토, 영공, 영해에서의 비핵화를 뜻합니다. 이는 북측만 이행하여야 할 의무가 아닙니다. 과거 한반도 남쪽에 1,000여기의 전술핵무기를 반입, 배치했던 미국과 남측도 비핵화에 대한 자신의 의무를 이행해야 하는 것입니다.

이러한 ’한반도 비핵화’ 합의는 ▲한반도의 비핵화에 관한 공동선언 (1992년 1월 31일, 남북간) ▲제네바 기본합의서 (1994년 10월 21일, 북미간) ▲9.19 공동성명 (2005년 9월 19일, 6자회담 참가국)을 통해 천명된 예가 있습니다.

2005년의 9. 19 공동성명에서 북은 “모든 핵무기와 현존하는 핵계획을 포기할 것”과 함께 미국은 “한반도에 핵무기를 갖고 있지 않으며, 핵무기 또는 재래식 무기로 북을 공격 또는 침공할 의사가 없다는 것을 확인”했습니다. 또 한국은 “자국 영토 내에 핵무기가 존재하지 않는다는 것을 확인하면서, 1992년도 ‘한반도의 비핵화에 관한 남북 공동선언’에 의거하여, 핵무기를 접수 또는 배비하지 않겠다는 공약을 재확인”하였습니다.

남북정상회담에 이어 이번 북미정상회담에서도 ‘완전한 한반도 비핵화’에 합의하고 한반도 전역에서 핵무기의 시험· 제조· 생산· 접수· 보유· 저장· 배비· 사용을 금지해야 합니다. 또 미국은 한반도에 핵전략자산을 배치하거나 전개하는 모든 군사 활동과 훈련을 하지 말아야 합니다. 아울러 미국은 남측에 대한 핵우산을 철거해야 합니다.

남과 북에 공히 핵무기가 존재했던 한반도, 수십년간 첨예한 군사적 긴장이 도사려온 한반도에서 진정한 평화가 깃들게 된다면 이는 역사적인 선례가 되어 전지구적 핵무장해제를 이끌게 될 것입니다. 미국을 비롯하여 모든 핵국가들은 핵이 없는 세계를 창설하기 위한 구체적이고도 확실한 실천을 해야 할 것 입니다.

2) 지속적인 한반도 평화체제를 위한 평화협정이 필요합니다.

남과 북은 판문점선언을 통해 “정전협정체결 65년이 되는 올해에 종전을 선언하고 정전협정을 평화협정으로 전환하며 항구적이고 공고한 평화체제 구축을 위한 남북미 3자 또는 남북미중 4자회담 개최를 적극 추진”해 나가기로 하였습니다.

지난 코리아전쟁 결과 미국과 북이 맺은 휴전협정은 매우 불안정한 것이기에 한반도에서 전쟁위기가 빈발하는 근본요인으로 되어 왔습니다. 이제 전쟁의 종식을 선언하고 북미간에 평화협정을 체결하여 한반도에서 공고한 평화체제를 구축해야 할 때입니다. 이러한 평화협정만이 한반도에서 차후의 핵전쟁은 물론 재래식 전쟁의 위험을 막을 수 있습니다.

미국과 북은 무력충돌을 방지하고 긴장을 해소하기 위한 쌍무조치들을 즉시 택해야 합니다. 북과 미국은 군사적 열선과 대화통로를 설치, 유지하고 한반도 내에서 모든 군사훈련 및 상대방에 대한 여타의 도발적인 행위들을 멈춰야 합니다. 미국은 사드 미사일방어체계를 한국에서 철거해야 합니다. “단계적으로 군축을 실현해 나가기로”한 남과 북의 판문점선언에 발맞추어 미국은 주한미군을 감축해야 합니다.

3) 북과 미국은 적대적인 관계를 끝내고 정상적인 관계를 맺어야 합니다.

2000년 북미공동코뮤니케는 “북과 미국은 관계를 개선하는 것이 국가들 사이의 관계에서 자연스러운 목표로 되며 관계개선이 21세기에 두 나라 국민들에게 다같이 이익으로 되는 동시에 한반도와 아시아-태평양지역의 평화와 안전도 보장하게 될 것이라고 인정하면서 쌍무관계에서 새로운 방향을 취할 용의가 있다고 선언”한다고 밝힌 바 있습니다.

북과 미국은 한반도 비핵화 및 정전협정을 평화협정으로 대체하기를 합의하여야 하며, 그 다음으로는 관계정상화회담을 개시하여야 합니다. 2000년 북미공동코뮤니케에서 밝힌 바와 같이 북과 미국은 “자주권에 대한 상호존중과 내정불간섭의 원칙”을 재확인하고 “과거의 적대감에서 벗어난 새로운 관계를 수립하기 위하여 모든 노력을 다할 것”을 다시금 약속하여야 합니다. 북과 미국은 관계를 정상화하고 경제, 문화, 과학, 교육, 체육, 여행 등 다방면에서 두 나라 국민들의 상호간 이해 증진을 장려해야합니다.

무엇보다도 미국은 과거 70년간 취해온 대북 적대시 정책, 북을 고립시킨 제재 정책을 폐지해야 합니다. 북을 대상으로 한 모든 핵 프로그램 관련 제재, 테러지원국 재지정, 자산동결을 해제해야 합니다. 또 미국민의 자유로운 방북을 허용해야 합니다. 북과 미국은 또한 코리아전쟁 이래의 재북 미군 유해를 서로 협력하여 수습하는 것을 미결된 인도주의적 문제를 해결하고 적대관계를 종식시키는 첫 조치로 삼아야 할 것입니다.

3. 평화를 위하여, 진정성을 보여줄 것을 트럼프행정부에게, 당파싸움을 뒷전으로 밀어둘 것을 워싱턴 정계 지도자들에게 촉구합니다.

북과 미국 사이의 지나간 협상들은 유의미한 협력의 순간들을 탄생시켰습니다. 북과 미국은 종래의 적대관계를 극복하고 관계정상화의 방향으로 나아가자는 목표를 공유한 가운데 괄목할만한 타협들을 한 적도 있습니다. 북과 미국은 1993년 북미공동성명, 1994년 제네바합의, 2000년 북미공동코뮤니케, 2005년 6자회담 9. 19공동성명 등과 같이 한반도 핵위기를 해소하며 지속적인 평화체제 창설과 양자관계 정상화의 길을 그린 탁월한 합의들을 내온 바 있습니다.

그러나 이 합의들은 아무 것도 이행되지 않았습니다. 그 결과, 북미간 불신은 더 깊어졌을 뿐이고 궁극적으로는 핵전쟁 접경으로까지 우리를 몰아 넣었습니다. 미국 행정부 교체 때마다 이전 행정부가 힘겹게 일궈낸 합의는 버림을 받았으며 새 행정부는 새 행정부대로의 관례적인 반북 자세를 택하기만 하였습니다. 이러한 역사에 비춰보자면 만약 이번 북미정상회담에서 어떤 합의가 나온들 미국의 현임 및 장래 행정부들이 그것을 실제로 존중할른지 하는 우려를 갖게 됩니다. 이란 핵합의를 파기한 트럼프행정부이기에 더욱그렇습니다.

이에 우리는 어떤 것이 됐든 합의된 것을 이행해 나가리라는 진심과 결심을 가지고 북과의 정상회담에 임할 것을 트럼프행정부한테 촉구합니다. 우리는 또한 한반도와 세계의 평화를 성취하자는 역사적 대의를 중시하여 당파적 이해를 뒷전에 밀어둘 것을 미 의회에게 촉구합니다. 우리는 마지막으로 최근의 남과 북 공동의 판문점선언과 앞으로 있을 미국과 북 사이의 정상회담을 지지하는 결의를 해줄 것도 미 의회에게 촉구합니다.

4. 우리는 정의와 평화의 세계를 위해 싸우는 모든 이들과 함께 하겠습니다.

트럼프와 이전 미 행정부의 조치들이 세계평화를 위협해 왔습니다. 아프가니스탄, 시리아, 예멘의 끝없는 전쟁, 가자지역의 유혈사태, 이란과의 긴장고조는 미국한테 책임이 있습니다. 미국이 전쟁을 일으키고 해외주둔군을 유지하는 데에 몇 수십억 달러를 쏟아붓는 동안 그 시민들은 광범한 실직사태, 긴축정책으로인해 응당한 교육, 건강의료, 주거 등으로부터 단절되어 고통받고 있습니다. 미국의 해외군사주의가 대내적으로는 경찰의 군사화와 유색인종과 성소수자들에 대한 국가 비호 아래의 폭력으로 증폭되고 있습니다.

우리는 평화, 자주, 그리고 정의를 수호하는 세계 도처의 양심적인 인사들과 함께 합니다. 코리아반도가비록 한세기 여에 걸친 식민지, 분단, 전쟁의 잔인을 겪는 분쟁의 땅이었을지라도 마침내 21세기의 평화, 화해, 통일의 등대로 우뚝 서고 인류의 힘과 희망의 원천이 되기를 우리는 희망합니다.

Statement of Unity by Korean Americans and Allies

on the Historic Inter-Korean Summit

and the Upcoming U.S.-North Korea Summit (June 2018)

Since the historic April 27 summit between the leaders of North and South Korea at Panmunjom, longstanding tensions and war threats on the Korean peninsula have given way to the promise of peace and reconciliation. Soon, another historic summit, between the United States and North Korea, will take place in Singapore. The two parties, which not too long ago were on the brink of war, will finally sit down to discuss a peaceful settlement to the Korean War. All eyes of the world will be on this momentous event, which could determine not only the fate of the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia but also the prospect of global peace.

We—Korean Americans who have long fought for peace and the self-determined unification of the Korean peninsula, and allies who stand on the side of peace and justice and share a critical stake in the struggle for peace in Korea—wish to make clear our views on the recent inter-Korean summit and the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit.

1. We applaud the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity, and Unification of the Korean peninsula.

In the Panmunjom Declaration, the leaders of North and South Korea “solemnly declared before the 80 million Korean people and the whole world that there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a new era of peace has begun.” They also pledged to work together for independent unification.

The two leaders held hands as they crossed back and forth over the military demarcation line, demonstrating that the arbitrary line no longer has the power it once possessed as a symbol of division and confrontation. Should the governments of North and South Korea as well as the 80 million Koreans on the peninsula and the diaspora come together to implement the Panmunjom Declaration, we can realize peace, prosperity, and unification of the Korean peninsula.

2. We welcome the U.S.-North Korea summit.

We hope the scheduled U.S.-North Korea summit will end seven decades of hostile relations between the United States and North Korea and usher in a new era of peace—on the Korean peninsula, in Northeast Asia as well as for the rest of the world.

We recommend the following:

1) The United States and North Korea should agree to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and faithfully carry out the agreement.

In the Panmunjom Declaration, North and South Korea “confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.” Denuclearization of the Korean peninsula means not only eliminating North Korea’s nuclear weapons but also denuclearizing the land, air, and seas of the entire peninsula. This is not North Korea’s obligation alone. South Korea and the United States, which has in the past introduced and deployed close to one thousand tactical nuclear weapons in the southern half of the peninsula, also need to take concrete steps to create a nuclear-free peninsula.

The plan to “denuclearize the Korean peninsula” is clearly outlined in the following past agreements:

– The 1992 Joint Declaration of South and North Korea on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula;

– The 1994 Agreed Framework between the USA and DPRK; and

– The 2005 Joint Statement of the Fourth Round of the Six Party Talks.

In the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six Party Talks, North Korea “committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs,” while the United States “affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons,” and South Korea “reaffirmed its commitment not to receive or deploy nuclear weapons in accordance with the 1992 Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while affirming that there exist no nuclear weapons within its territory.”

In keeping with the recent inter-Korean summit, the U.S.-North Korea summit should produce an agreement for the “complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula” and ban the testing, production, reception, possession, storage, stationing, and/or use of nuclear weapons on the entire Korean peninsula. Moreover, the United States should stop all military action and exercises that deploy or introduce its strategic assets on the Korean peninsula and abolish its nuclear umbrella over South Korea.

Genuine peace on the Korean peninsula, which has housed nuclear weapons in both the North and the South and has been the site of acute military tensions for decades, should set a historic precedent and lead to global nuclear disarmament. Starting with the United States, all nuclear powers should take concrete steps to create a nuclear-free world.

2) A peace treaty is necessary for a lasting peace system on the Korean peninsula.

The Panmunjom Declaration states, “During this year that marks the 65th anniversary of the Armistice, South and North Korea agreed to actively pursue trilateral meetings involving the two Koreas and the United States, or quadrilateral meetings involving the two Koreas, the United States and China with a view to declaring an end to the War, turning the armistice into a peace treaty, and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime.”

After the Korean War, the United States and North Korea signed an armistice that established a highly unstable system that has been at the root of all subsequent war threats on the Korean peninsula. It’s time to declare an end to the Korean War and replace the armistice with a peace treaty to build a stable and lasting peace system on the Korean peninsula. Only a peace treaty will prevent further threats of nuclear and conventional war on the Korean peninsula.

The United States and North Korea should take immediate mutual steps to prevent military conflict and alleviate tensions. They should establish and maintain a military hotline and communications channel and halt all military exercises and other provocative actions. The United States should withdraw the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea. And in step with North and South Korea, which have agreed to “carry out disarmament in a phased manner” in the Panmunjom Declaration, U.S. Forces in Korea should take corresponding measures to reduce its troops.

3) The United States and North Korea should end hostilities and normalize relations. 

The 2000 US-DPRK Joint Communique states, “Recognizing that improving ties is a natural goal in relations among states and that better relations would benefit both nations in the 21st century while helping ensure peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. and the D.P.R.K. sides stated that they are prepared to undertake a new direction in their relations.”

After agreeing to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and replace the armistice with a peace treaty, the United States and North Korea should begin talks to establish normal relations. As they did in the 2000 Joint Communique, the United States and North Korea should reaffirm “principles of respect for each other’s sovereignty and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs” and a “commitment to make every effort in the future to build a new relationship free from past enmity.” The United States and North Korea should normalize relations and promote civilian exchanges in the areas of economy, culture, science, education, sports, and travel to foster mutual understanding between the peoples of both countries.

Above all, the United States needs to abolish its seven-decade policy of hostility and sanctions that isolate North Korea. It should lift all sanctions tied to North Korea’s nuclear program, take North Korea off the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and unfreeze North Korea’s assets. It should allow U.S. citizens to freely travel to North Korea. The United States and North Korea should also cooperate to recover the remains of U.S. servicemen in North Korea from the time of the Korean War as a step to addressing unresolved humanitarian issues and ending hostile relations.

3. We urge the Trump administration to demonstrate sincerity and Washington’s political leaders to put aside party politics for peace.

Past negotiations between the United States and North Korea have yielded meaningful moments of cooperation. There have been times when both sides made significant compromises with the shared goal of overcoming past hostilities and moving toward normalizing relations. They have produced outstanding agreements—the 1993 DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement, the 1994 Agreed Framework, the 2000 U.S.-DPRK Joint Communique, and the 2005 Joint Declaration of the Six Party Talks—that outline a path for resolving the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula, creating a lasting peace system, and normalizing relations between the two countries.

However, none of these agreements were implemented. As a result, mistrust between the United States and North Korea only deepened and ultimately led us to the brink of nuclear war. With each change in administration in the United States, hard-won agreements made by the previous administration were essentially scrapped as the incoming administration adopted a default anti-North Korea posture. In light of this history, we have concerns about whether an agreement produced by the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit will actually be honored by the current and future administrations. Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal underscores this concern.

We urge the Trump administration to approach the upcoming summit with North Korea with sincerity and a commitment to carrying out whatever agreement is reached. We also urge Congress to put aside partisan interests in the historic interest of achieving peace in Korea and the world. We urge Congress to resolve to support the Panmunjom Declaration between North and South Korea and the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit.

4. We stand with all who struggle for a just and peaceful world.

The actions of the Trump and previous administrations have been detrimental to peace in the world. The United States is responsible for endless war in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, bloodshed in Gaza, and escalating tension with Iran. While it pours billions of dollars into waging wars and maintaining troops abroad, its people face widespread unemployment and austerity programs that cut them off from decent education, healthcare and housing. U.S. militarism abroad has also led to increased militarization of the police and state-sanctioned violence against communities of color and gender non-conforming people at home.

We stand with people of conscience everywhere who defend peace, self-determination, and justice. It is our hope that the Korean peninsula–once a land of strife, brutalized by over a century of colonization, division and war–will become a source of strength and inspiration for all as a beacon for peace, reconciliation, and unification in the twenty-first century.