[News Article] A Quaker Legacy of Working for Peace in Korea

10.12.2024

The American Friends Service Committee looks back at the history of its Korea International Affairs Program.

Ask someone walking down the street of any major global city what images come to mind when they hear the word “Korea” and many will likely describe images from the south such as K-pop groups like BTS, Korean foods, or K-dramas. From the north, they might reference the “hermit kingdom”, military parades, or missile tests. In recent years, these caricatures of the Koreas have reached wider and wider audiences.

The American Friends Service Committee's (AFSC) relationship with people on both parts of the peninsula extends back before many of these contemporary associations developed. This year marks the 30th anniversary of AFSC’s Korea International Affairs Program. As we commemorate this milestone, we reflect on the history of those relationships and the legacy of AFSC’s work in Korea:

1950-1960: Responding to the Korean War and its aftermath

Following the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950—a conflict that divided families and displaced millions across the peninsula—AFSC sought ways to provide humanitarian assistance to people on both sides of the conflict. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light of each person, AFSC has worked with people from all sides of conflict to challenge unjust systems and promote lasting peace. However, during the war, due to access restrictions and legal limitations, AFSC was unable to find ways to provide assistance to those in the north. In the south, AFSC partnered with Friends Service Council in London to operate a health services program from 1952 to 1958. This work included educational and social services, such as distributing food and clothing and assisting in the reconstruction of homes.

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