International Forum Special Edition 1
September 2023 |
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Proposing 2023 ISC International Forum
“Building Peace: Preventing War in Northeast Asia”
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July 27th marked the 70th year of the Armistice Agreement that halted the Korean War. While social movements have yet to achieve a peace treaty, the cease-fire have, nonetheless, managed to stave off full-blown war. Yet, today, the escalating militarization of the region is straining this cease-fire. Contrary to the desires and needs of people in the region for peace and prosperity, the Biden, Kishida, and Yoon administrations are using North Korea as a pretext to consolidate their bellicose trilateral alliance against China.
Ultimately, the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral alliance is part of larger efforts by the US to maintain its global dominance against an economically ascending and more assertive China. As such, the alliance extends beyond the region and into the world as evidenced by the deepening military relationship between NATO and the Yoon and Kishida administrations.
Campaigns for peace in the Korean Peninsula have focused on a peace treaty with North Korea. Yet, when Biden, Kishida, and Yoon, beat the drums of war, they marginalize engagement with North Korea and drown out the voices calling for peace. At a time when the world is faced with climate change catastrophe, the growing possibility of nuclear war, and economic instability, a new non-aligned movement is emerging from the global South resisting pressure to take sides in the US-China rivalry.
To achieve peace in Korea and stop a New Cold War that threatens the future of our planet, Korean social movements need to fight the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral alliance while joining forces with movements around the world calling for peace and de-escalation. Our international forum seeks to bring Korean social movements together in common dialogue with each other and with movements around the world calling for peace.
We hope many of you are interested in and participate in the forum.
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2023 ISC International Forum Online Event
"Building Peace: Preventing War in Northeast Asia" |
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We invite you to 2023 ISC International Forum Online Event "Building Peace: Preventing War in Northeast Asia"
As conflicts and tensions rise in Northeast Asia, intellectuals and activists working on the front lines for peace will gather to foster solidarity. We hope many of you to come and participate in our international forum, to be held online on October 28th-29th (27th and 29th in NYC)
Day 1 - Struggles on the Frontlines
Korea: Oct. 28th 10am-noon ㅣBerlin: Oct. 28th 3-5am ㅣNYC: Oct. 27th 9-11pm
Day 2 - Peace and the New Non-Aligned Movements
Korea: Oct. 29th 5-7pm ㅣBerlin: Oct. 29th 9-11am (Daylight Savings) ㅣNYC: Oct. 29th 4-6am
For more information: iscenter2015@gmail.com
* Korean-English interpretation will be provided
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Preparing for War Is the Beginning:
An Early Warning for Northeast Asia |
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July 27 marked the 70th anniversary of the 1953 ceasefire to the Korean War. In the three years leading up to the anniversary, South Korean peace movements organized the international Korea Peace Appeal campaign to replace the armistice agreement with a peace treaty to conclude the 70-plus-year Korean War. The anniversary has come and gone, but, instead of peace, the Joe Biden, Yoon Suk Yeol, and Fumio Kishida administrations are stoking tensions in the Korean Peninsula as a smokescreen to build a NATO-level U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral alliance against China. |
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The Fashion Industry and Environmental Pollution
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Hong Seung-hyun(Issue Briefing Team)
So, what should we do for the survival of all humanity and the preservation of our ecosystems? There seem to be only two possible approaches. Either we gather our collective strength, engage in a struggle to wrest political power from the privileged, and invest capital to save the environment ourselves, or, even if we can't take away their power, we must at least compel the privileged to invest capital in saving the environment. In whatever form, we must stop the unbridled pursuit of capital for the sake of the survival of all humanity. Otherwise, we cannot guarantee the right to survival for all.
What's even more frightening is the possibility that even if the Earth's environment is severely destroyed in the future, to the point where humanity is almost wiped out, some of the giant capitalists may continue to exist, utilizing the artificial intelligence and other technologies they monopolize. In other words, the colossal wealth may choose to ignore the existential crisis we feel. |
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The Cruel Face of Capitalism Hidden Behind Coconut Milk
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In other coconut growing areas outside of Thailand, coconuts are harvested using people or machines. Moreover, a group of Indian researchers developed coconut picking robots in 2020 though they still have a long way to go for the commercialization of the technology. Since the use of animal labor in agriculture has been around for a long time, we may be able to understand the use of monkeys as a traditional Thai farming method. However, looking at the scale and intensity of the labor, it is clear that this is exploitation rather than traditional farming methods. Why should it be seen as exploitation? Behind this, in addition to the animal rights issue, there is the systemic problem called capitalism. |
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2023 Climate Justice March |
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The ISC representing at the 2023 Climate Justice March. |
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2F, 2 Dosin-ro 47-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul International Strategy Center
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