Today, the US and south Korea begins live military exercises against north Korea after a 4 year pause. This year’s drills are unprecedented in scale, upping the tensions on the Korean peninsula.
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The US & south Korea typically hold joint military exercises 2x a year. Exercises can involve up to 300k soldiers & rehearse invasions of north Korea and assassination of north Korean leadership.
The first US-south Korea joint exercises took place in 1955, 16 months after the Armistice agreement was signed.
Since then, the war exercises have expanded and advanced, and north Korea has developed nuclear weapons.
This year, south Korea and the US restore field drills and conduct expanded exercises.
For the past few years, the US and south Korea had canceled some drills and scaled others back to computer simulations, to reduce tensions and because of COVID.
South Korea’s new president, Yoon Seok-yeol has worsened tensions with north Korea.
Yoon met with Biden just weeks into his presidency, agreeing to large-scale joint military exercises. Yoon has also supported preemptive missile strikes against north Korea.
For decades, north Korea has opposed these joint exercises, arguing that they increase tension.
North Korea hasn’t tested nuclear weapons since 2017 in good faith. Now many predict their next test will happen in response to expanded military threats from the US and south Korea.
Meanwhile Koreans in the south have been protesting the US military aliance.
On August 13th, thousands of protesters in Seoul called for the suspension of joint military exercises. They also demanded the dissolution of the US-south Korea alliance and the withdrawal of US forces.
US war exercises expand to all of Asia.
Recently, the US gathered 25 countries for RIMPAC naval exercises. Officially, these exercises are not aimed at any particular country, but they were a clear show of force against China and north Korea.
We do not mourn Jimmy Carter. Today we mourn the 2,000 martyrs of Gwangju, who were slaughtered by the South Korean military regime with the support and knowledge of the Carter Administration.
On May 17, 1980, Col. Chun Doo Hwan of South Korea declared martial law in the face of a rising movement for democracy led by students and workers.
In the city of Gwangju, students rose up in protest. Soldiers at the scene killed a deaf man, Kim Gyeong Cheol—sparking a rebellion
The Gwangju Uprising seized control of the city for 9 days. The people of the city formed committees to govern themselves, organizing food distribution, medical aid, self-defense, and more. Many hoped the US would intervene on their behalf.
On New Year’s Eve, global media reported that Kim Jong Un no longer supports Korean reunification. But this is not true.
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Kim Jong Un recently announced major changes in north Korea’s stance towards reunification. This marks a huge breakdown in inter-Korean relations after years of US, south Korean, and Japanese aggression.
However, north Korea has NOT abandoned reunification.
In a speech made on Dec 31 at the 9th Plenum of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea, Kim Jong Un rejected south Korea’s formula for “reunification by absorption”— the idea south Korea should absorb the north, overthrow its govt, and abolish its socialist system.
As anti-imperialist Koreans, we stand unequivocally with Palestine, its people and its armed resistance against the Zionist occupation. This is neither a two-sided conflict nor a war: it is an occupation and a genocide.
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As Koreans whose homeland is divided, we know imperialism is our common enemy. Following our liberation from Japanese colonialism and the beginning of independent socialist construction in Korea, the US split our country in two and indiscriminately bombed and killed our people.
There is a reason the Nakba and the division of Korea coincided in 1948, backed by the same imperialist interests. Both Korea and Palestine are geographically strategic sites for the US empire’s grip across the world.
Today marks the 73rd anniversary of the “start” of the Korean War. We've curated a list of educational resources that the US & south Korean governments desperately tried to erase from our history. In the face of blatant US propaganda, it is up to us to learn the real history 🧵
The Hidden History of the Korean War by I.F. Stone
In this new book, I.F. Stone challenges the dominant historical narrative about the Korean War and exposes the US' deliberate attempts to prolong the war.
Blowback, Season 3
Brendan James and Noah Kulwin expose US involvement in the Korean War using primary sources, vivid storytelling, and sharp historical analysis. The season also features interviews with Suzy Kim, Tim Shorrock, and Bruce Cummings.
#OTD in 1980, the people of #Gwangju rose up against Chun Doo-hwan's military dictatorship, calling for democracy in south Korea.
In response, with a green light from the US, south Korean police & soldiers massacred 2,300 people. We will never forget the martyrs of Gwangju. 🧵
In Oct 1979, former President Park Chung-hee was assassinated by his own head of security. Chun Doo-hwan then seized power via military coup.
On May 17, 1980, he declared martial law, using rumors of communism to close schools, ban political activity, and censor the press.
On May 18, 1980, thousands of students in Gwangju gathered to protest martial law and the closing of their universities.
Police & soldiers responded with brutal violence, beating students with clubs and rounding them up for execution. Students and bystanders alike were killed.
The south Korean defense ministry defended its actions using the Status of Forces Agreement, which exempts US troops from following domestic laws in south Korea.
The Status of Forces Agreement is an imperialist tool that allows the US to control and suppress the Korean people.
With a US shooting range in their backyard, the residents of Changwon will face irreversible environmental, physical, and psychological damage.
From 1952-2004, the US installed a bombing range near Maehyang-ri village. At least 12 villagers were killed by stray bombs or bullets.