Since the end of WWII, the US has retained a permanent military occupation of Korea that continues to this day. With 80 bases and over 28,000 troops, US Forces Korea is one of the largest US permanent overseas military deployments in the world.

Contrary to the military’s narrative, this massive troop presence does not protect the Korean people. In fact, it is a major impediment to ending the ongoing Korean War, and a source of ongoing tension in the region. Constant military exercises have pushed the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war, while local communities near US bases are forced to live with the daily realities of living in proximity to a foreign occupying army, including land seizures, pollution, and violence against local residents.

For generations, farmers, workers, and students have fought military base expansion, challenged US-backed repression, and organized for their right to sovereignty. Yet the US military continues to present its occupation in Korea as a fixed necessity rather than a political choice that can and must be challenged.

The time has come for a complete end to the US military occupation in Korea. We are raising our voices in support of the US Out of Korea campaign and its platform, and we call on the federal government of the United States to comply:

1. U.S. out of Korea: Full and permanent withdrawal of US troops and weapons systems from Korea, with all land, water, and airspace appropriated for the US military to be returned to the Korean people.

2. End the US-South Korea alliance: The South Korean military is under the wartime command of the US. We demand an end to all US-South Korea alliances and command structures.

3. End all aggression against North Korea: Stop all US military exercises in Korea and lift all sanctions against North Korea. War games are not diplomacy and sanctions jeopardize the livelihoods and health of civilians.  

4. End the war economy: We reject the notion that endless spending on war protects the lives of people in the US and around the world. Money made by working people must go to education, housing, and healthcare for working people – not more war.

Once you sign on, we’ll be in touch with ways to further support the campaign. For more than 80 years, the US government has acted as though it has the right to occupy Korea and dictate the future of the Korean people. Add your name to the petition to join us in building public opposition to US imperialism in Korea, and holding US leaders and institutions accountable!