New Yorkers demand U.S. out of Korea

New York, NY - On Sunday, August 18, hundreds of New Yorkers gathered to attend Nodutdol’s “No to Nuclear War Games: U.S. Out of Korea” rally. Held in Greeley Square in the Koreatown neighborhood, the event was one of several held across the country over the past week to protest the U.S. and South Korea’s conducting of nuclear war game exercises that rehearse aggressive scenarios, including launching a nuclear strike against North Korea.

The rally featured speakers from Nodutdol, Palestine Youth Movement, Bayan, and Student Workers of Columbia (UAW 2710), among several other community organizations. The speeches highlighted how U.S. imperialism impacts people all over the world, from the threat of nuclear war in the Korean peninsula, to genocide in Gaza, to continued oppression in the Philippines, to the repression of rightful protests and freedom of expression in the U.S., “the belly of the beast” of imperialism, as speakers and chant leaders put it.

“They are rehearsing another destructive war against the Korean people,” said Hyo-won of Nodutdol, speaking about the massive war games and military exercises being held by the U.S. and South Korean militaries. “How can anyone feel safe with the U.S.’s decision to bring nukes into our country?”

But the tone of this speech, as with the rest of the rally, was of defiance rather than despair. “We refuse to submit to the bondage of empire,” Hyo-won said, to prolonged cheers and applause from the crowd.

After the speeches, protesters braved the heat to march from Greeley Square down to Union Square. People chanted “Up, up with liberation! End the U.S. occupation!” and “Stop the war games, leave our land! U.S. out is our demand!” Chant leaders also reinforced the links between struggles around the world, with cries of, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “From U.S. to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!”

“The protest raised visibility in New York around the many areas of U.S. imperialism and its effects,” said Josephine Baker, a member of FRSO NYC. “Imperialism is multifaceted. The same capital interests that profit off wars and weapons, also profit off of the working class in the U.S.”

This rally was just one part of Nodutdol’s broader U.S. Out of Korea campaign, whose demands include an end to all aggression against North Korea and a national divestment from the war economy. Protest organizers encouraged attendees to stay connected to further actions in this struggle, as well as to continue protesting the genocide of the Palestinian people.

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