Cheongju, South Korea – Hyun Sook Yoon, Chairwoman of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), called for the free movement of civilians between North and South Korea and urged international support for the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula. Her remarks came during the 9th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), held on March 14, 2025.
Chairwoman Yoon stressed the urgency of peace amid ongoing global conflicts, including the Russo-Ukraine War, and highlighted the limitations of current international laws in sustaining peace. “With the Korean peninsula divided for over 70 years, it is clear that existing security measures have been insufficient,” she stated.
Referencing the DPCW, first declared on March 14, 2016, Yoon underscored Article 3, which calls for measures to strengthen universal peace, ban acts of aggression, and promote freedom of religion and a culture of peace. She also highlighted IWPG’s efforts, including the 10 Million Signature Campaign launched in 2017, which gathered 3 million signatures in six months to advocate for a peace agreement for the Korean peninsula.
Yoon was scheduled to attend the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN Headquarters to meet with officials and ambassadors to seek further support for the DPCW and the peaceful unification agenda.
In related efforts, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international NGO registered with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has launched the “Together: Connecting Korea” campaign. This initiative connects generations, cultures, and people, and involves 170 civil society organizations. As part of the campaign, HWPL announced the formation of the Preparatory Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Korean Peninsula, fostering sociocultural interaction between North and South Korea.
About IWPG
The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), an NGO registered with UN ECOSOC and UN DGC, operates 115 branches across 123 countries with 808 partner organizations in 66 nations. Guided by the vision of achieving sustainable world peace, IWPG focuses on building peace networks, promoting peace culture, conducting women’s peace education, and advocating for the legislation of the DPCW.