Hundreds of activists plan to mobilize across the United States on March 1, calling for the cancellation of the “Freedom Shield” military exercises between the US and Republic of Korea. These demonstrations, set to take place in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, will bring together hundreds of activists who oppose the expansion of the annual US-ROK war games. The annual “Freedom Shield” exercises are set to take place between March 10 and 19.
These protests are organized as part of the “US Out of Korea” campaign, spearheaded by Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, North America-based anti-imperialist Korean diaspora group. The campaign is uniting anti-imperialist and progressive activists across a diverse array of groups, including endorsing organizations such as the ANSWER Coalition, CODEPINK, Dissenters, the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Black Alliance for Peace, and the People’s Forum.
“The US and South Korean militaries stage hundreds of drills each year that rehearse the invasion of North Korea, the “decapitation” of its leadership, and even the use of nuclear weapons against the Korean people,” reads the campaign website.
“US imperialism in Korea does not serve the interests of Korean people, or for that matter, the majority of Americans. We are building a movement to protect our own homeland, support the working people of the US in building political power to end the US’s forever wars, and create a system that truly serves the majority.”
The US and the ROK have been holding joint military exercises since the 1980s, but this year, the annual “Freedom Shield” war games are set to expand by 70%, according to Ju-Hyun Park, an organizer with Nodutdol. Contrary to Trump positing himself as an anti-war president, Park argues that “This is not an agenda for peace. It’s the same approach as Biden: peace in words, war in actions.”
