LETTER TO U.S. SPEAKER of the House (D) Tom Foley and UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
March 18, 1993
We deeply regret that more than 120,000 South Korean and American troops once again resumed the military exercise called “Operation Team Spirit” this year on the Korean peninsula. The ten day war games which began last week heightened tensions and exasperated the conflicts in this already potentially explosive region.
When the Reconciliation, Exchange, and Non-Aggression Pact was signed by the South and the North last year, it became grounds for the greatest jubilation of all Koreans who had ardent desires to see their divided nation reunified by peaceful means.
As the South Korean and U.S. troops have taken part in this annual joint military exercise south of the border since last week, both South and North Korean troops are now on high alert inviting an outbreak of war at anytime which would result in the genocide of the entire Korea people on the peninsula!
During its long history of five thousand years, Korea maintained racial homogeneity, unique language and culture. But the 38th parallel demarcation unlawfully by the super powers following World War II severed our homeland into two segments, leading to civil war in 1950 that left millions of casualties on both sides with mass devastation of industrial facilities and homes while displacing millions of people across the North and South of our land, the sad reality of separated families continues to this day.
We do not wish to see any sort of similar confrontation and disasters repeated on our soil again. This time we take very seriously the joint military exercises and the deadline set forth by the IAEA from Inspections of the military installation sites in the North which resulted in Pyongyang’s abrupt withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty last week. (12 MARCH 1993)
The Koreans are still technically at war since no peace treaty was signed. As a result, it is clear that an increased military pressure in Korea will not only bring about a conflict of arms in this regain but will also disrupt world peace.
As the founder of Taekwon-Do who undertook research of this art with the sole aim of building a more peaceful world and an Ideal society, and on behalf of the thirty million Taekwon-Do practitioners and lovers worldwide. I appeal to you earnestly in the desire to resolve this precarious situation by peaceful diplomacy, not by military actions.
I trust that your undivided efforts for humanity, justice, and morality will make this world safer and a more humane place once again.
Yours very truly.
Choi Hong-hi
Gen. (Ret), Founder of Taekwon-Do
President, International Taekwon-Do Federation
