The Korean Peninsula remains one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world, its division a lasting symbol of Cold War politics. Although the Korean War (1950–1953) ended in an armistice, no peace treaty was signed, leaving the conflict unresolved and ongoing. Today, the United Nations Command remains in South Korea, U.S. military bases have been fortified, and joint U.S.–South Korean military exercises continue to shape the region’s security landscape.
This seminar examines the Korean War and its aftermath through the lens of international law, human rights, and the right to peace. Topics include the role of the UN Command in South Korea, the U.S.–South Korea military alliance, and struggles against mandatory conscription, including conscientious objection and resistance to militarism. Faculty also analyze the implications of the UN Charter, General Assembly resolutions, and the UN Flag Code for understanding U.S. imperialism on the Korean Peninsula.
Peter Kuznick–Journal of American Studies of Turkey
Interview with Oliver Stone & writer Peter Kuznick
Exit Strategies for the Illegality of the ROK-US Military Alliance
Interview with Lee Jang-Hie by The Korea Policy Institute
The illegality of the “United Nations Command” and The illegality of using the UN Flag by “UNC”
Conscientious Objection to Military Service from the perspective of the right to peace
Supreme Court en banc Decision 2016Do10912 Decided November 1, 2018 [Violation of the Military Service Act] (holding that the Defendant, a Jehovah’s Witness, was based on a “justifiable cause” under Article 88(1) of the Military Service Act)
Opinion submitted to the Supreme Court of Korea by Amnesty International Korea in 2018
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