Congressmembers Urge the Biden Administration
To Pursue Peace on the Korean Peninsula

Hon. Brad Sherman / US House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 8, 2021)  — Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) and his colleagues sent a letter to President Joseph R. Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the administration to join our ally South Korea in working towards an official end to the state of war between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States.  

Earlier this year, our ally South Korea reiterated its call for an end to the 1950 state of war between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States. While the war’s fighting ended in 1953, a peace treaty was never signed and the declaration of war has continued to this day. The official end to the declared state of war is not a concession to North Korea, but rather a vital step towards peace that serves the interest of the United States and our ally South Korea alike.  

“An official end to the state of war is a critical first step that allows South Korea to build the trust necessary to pursue critical US and South Korean objectives, such as restarting stalled talks on denuclearization,” Sherman said. “My colleagues and I urge the Biden Administration to prioritize working with President Moon Jae-In on this critical step towards peace on the Korean peninsula.” 

Congressman Sherman was joined by Representatives Tom Suozzi, Karen Bass, Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee, Carolyn B. Maloney, Dwight Evans, Judy Chu, Andy Kim, Ilhan Omar, Paul Tonko, Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia, Rashida Tlaib, Pramila Jayapal, Raul M. Grijalva, Jan Schakowsky, James P. McGovern, Grace Meng, Andy Levin, Marilyn Strickland, Kaiali’i Kahele, Katie Porter, and Al Green in sending the letter.  

The Letter Reads as Follows:
Dear President Biden and Secretary Blinken

(November 4, 2021) — We write you with deep sense of concern over continued tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

We wish to highlight the importance of the United States continuing its efforts to facilitate peace between South Korea and North Korea and bring about democracy for all residents of the Korean Peninsula. We applaud the Biden Administration’s support for the Singapore framework, which identifies peace on the Korean peninsula as an objective of any future negotiations between the United States and North Korea.

As cosponsors H.R. 3446, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, we recognize that the time for pursuing a diplomatic solution to tensions between North and South Korea is long overdue.

This September, South Korean President Moon Jae-in renewed his call for a mutual declaration ending the 1950 state of war between North and South Korea — a critical step towards peace. Despite this period of conflict ending many decades ago in 1953, a peace treaty was never officially signed.

An official end to the state of war between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States is not a concession to North Korea. Rather, it is vital step towards peace that serves the national interest of the United States and our allies alike.

To that end, we urge the Administration and the Secretary of State to prioritize active diplomatic engagement with North Korea and South Korea with the goal of a binding peace agreement constituting a formal and final end to the state of war between North Korea, South Korea, and the United States.

While North Korea’s nuclear weapons continue to pose a threat to peace and security around the world, a forever state of war does not resolve this issue nor does it serve the national interest of the United States and our allies. If anything, the state of war makes progress on the nuclear issue more difficult.

We urge you to continue and expand the Administration’s efforts to facilitate peace on the Korean Peninsula for the sake of all its residents, including the relatives of nearly 2 million US citizens of Korean descent.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely

Brad Sherman

Karen Bass

Barbara Lee

Dwight Evans

Andy Kim

Paul D. Tonko

Thomas R. Suozzi

Ro Khanna

Carolyn B. Maloney

Judy Chu

Ilhan Omar

Jesus G. Garcia

Rashida Tlaib

Raul M. Grijalva

James P. McGovern

Andy Levin

Kaiali’i Kahela

Al Green

Pramila Jayapal

Jan Schakowsky

Grace Meng

Marilyn Strickland

Katie Porter