PSI affiliates call for immediate de-escalation of tensions between US and North Korea at PSI Congress

The Korean Affiliates Council, PSLINK of the Philippines and the American Federation of Teachers in a display of international cooperation and solidarity worked together to move a resolution, calling for diplomacy and not war. Alarmed by the escalating tensions and rhetoric between the Trump administration and the North Korean Regime, the PSI World Congress voted overwhelmingly in support of this resolutions and demanding an end to the threat of nuclear war.

Tensions between North Korea and the USA have dramatically escalated since the election of Donald Trump, who uses twitter to taunt and mock the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, among others. The proposal of the resolution led to a number of interventions on the floor, with delegates pleading with the countries to sit down at the table and negotiate.

Ann Twomey from AFT said ” Foreign policy cannot be conducted through 140 characters of a twitter stream….History will not forgive us if we do not act now.”

Wol San Liem from the Korean Affiliates Council said “nuclear weapons in the hands of any country is bad for everyone. Since the Korean war, the pressure of the United States has been part of the problem.”

Mark Hancock from Canadian Union of Public Employees was met with applause from the floor giving emotional remarks condemning Donald Trump  for creating and instilling fear in his young children, concerned that World War III is imminent.

“Imagine there’s no countries. It isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for. And no religion too.”

You can keep up with all the latest action on the PSI Congress website: http://congress.world-psi.org/

Here is a link to all the congress news:

• POP Congress Wrap-up – Newsletter No. 1
• POP Congress Wrap-up – Newsletter No. 2
• POP Congress Wrap-up – Newsletter No. 3
• POP Congress Wrap-up – Newsletter No. 4
• POP Congress Wrap-up – Newsletter No. 5
• POP Congress Wrap-up – Newsletter No. 6

And here you will find all the live videos of the Panel Sessions and events.

And General Secretary Rosa Pavanelli's keynote speech.