September 2024

Let's Change The World, Not The Climate!

The Climate Justice March took place on Sep. 7th in South Korea. This year's march was held in Gangnam, "a symbol of capital, profit-driven structures and mass consumption, which have caused the climate crisis.” Its slogan was: "Let's change the world, not the climate”. Around the world, many people are suffering from climate catastrophe. While South Korea has been hit by record-breaking heatwaves and heavy rains, in southern Brazil, three months' worth of rain fell in two weeks in late April and early May, flooding an area the size of the UK. The floods killed more than 170 people and left more than 40 missing. You can see the extent of the devastation in issue 22 of Tricontinental's newsletter, which describes the flooding and its causes, including map images of the areas affected. 

According to American political philosopher and social theorist Nancy Fraser in her book Cannibal Capitalism, capitalism has "a cannibalistic, extractive relation, which consumes ever more biophysical wealth in order to pile up ever more ‘value,’ while disavowing ecological ‘externalities.’ What also piles up, not accidentally, is an ever-growing mountain of eco-wreckage.” In other words, capitalism expropriates  value and accumulates profits from nature. Since it is not responsible for ecological reproduction, it cares little about endangering the ecosystems on which it treads. As a result, the world today faces soaring temperatures, retreating glaciers, declining biodiversity, increased exposure to deadly viruses, extreme weather events, and land polluted with toxins. 

In such a situation, it’s hard to not be outraged at the vast wealth spent on wars rather than on solving the climate crisis. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) World Military Expenditure Report, the world spent about $2.24 trillion on military expenditures in 2022, and 6.8 per cent more in 2023. As the article “Free Free Palestine” shows, even now, the US-led Global Northis still funding and arming Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. Israel is even expanding the conflict beyond Palestine to other parts of the Middle East.  And as we see in "The US Destabilizing East Asia,” the U.S. is increasing regional tensions by elevating its military alliances.

The solution to the climate crisis must start with solidarity between people’s struggles against the capitalist system and by building systemic change. This is why we must stand in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance and fight for the liberation of Palestine, why we must fight against US imperialism's war-mongering and for peace in East Asia, and why we must stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela (see our carousel "Why We Need to Support Venezuela").

Join us on October 5th for a national day of action to condemn Israel on the one-year anniversary of the genocide in Gaza. Let's remember the lost lives in Palestine and send a message of solidarity to the Palestinians who are still resisting and demand an end to this war as soon as possible. 

For a full view, click on the image below.

by Cha Han-seon (Promotion Team)
edited by Rory Seeley Ainsworth (Promotion Team)

Ever since its creation, Israel has already violated more than 50 UN resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 242, when in 1967, it continued attacks even during negotiations. On Sep. 18, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution by 142 countries calling on Israel to end its illegal presence in occupied Palestine within 12 months in accordance with the July advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), but the United States opposed and South Korea abstained. Israel still opposes the resolution and is poised to reject it.
The only way to stop the ongoing genocide is for people around the world to stand together in solidarity and fight for Palestinian freedom. We are approaching the one-year anniversary of the Israeli offensive that devastated Gaza. Civil society in South Korea is also planning a national action on October 5. Let's work together to end the colonization and liberation of Palestine, for freedom and justice in Palestine, and for the future of Palestinian children. 

In September, the ISC continued to support the ongoing Palestinian solidarity struggle. Despite the unusually hot September weather, our members participated in the Palestine Solidarity Urgent Action, our drumming team participated in a rally on the 21st, and on the 24th Public Relations Team Leader Hanseon Cha participated in a one-person protest in front of the Israeli Embassy in Korea. Next month, the Korean Social Urgency Action in Solidarity with Palestine is preparing for a nationwide action on the 5th around the first anniversary of the beginning of Israel's massacre of Palestinians. We hope that many people will participate and take steps in solidarity with Palestine until Israel's 76 years of colonization ends and Palestine is completely free. The International Strategy Center stands with Palestine until it is freed! 

On Sept. 27, the ISC participated in the Deepfake Sex Crimes OUT Joint Action speech rally held every Friday at Gangnam Station. It has been more than a month since the deepfake sex crimes were revealed, and many people have taken to the streets to demand solutions to the case. The Yoon Seok-yeol government has been actively implementing pro-business policies in the name of labor reforms and deregulating the capital market for more freedom, mentioning “global standards”. However, it has done little to address the problem even as victims of deepfakes emerge, and trust is breaking down in schools, workplaces, and communities. Where is the government with its slogans of “global standards”’? As we have seen, nothing will be given to us unless we demand it. The ISC will continue fighting, and we hope that many people will join the action.

Farming Exposure Trip   

On Sep. 28, the ISC went to a woman farmer's field in Pyeongtaek to harvest peanuts. We spent a physically demanding but rewarding day harvesting peanuts from morning to afternoon. After the harvesting, we learned about the state of Korean agriculture and the history of the peasant’s movement. We had a great time getting out of the city and enjoying nature. Behind the beautiful nature, we learned about rural areas struggling with an aging population, falling agricultural prices, and crop damage due to the climate crisis. We also learned about the history of the farmers' movement, which has fought against government policies to rely on imported agricultural products. It was a day that made us appreciate th e farmers’ hard work that goes into producing the produce we consume every day, and their struggle for food sovereignty and food security.