2024 GDAMS: Military Spending Threatens Everyone! Disarmament now for people and planet! -참여연대

Amid the clouds of war that have engulfed the world, militarism, which advocates “peace through strength,” is on the rise. The war that broke out with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been going on for three years without any sign of a ceasefire. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), there have been at least 30,457 civilian casualties in the past two years, of which 1,885 were children. As the war lasts longer and becomes more deeply entrenched, the pain of the people in the war grows. Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians, which intensified last October, is even more devastating. Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza has left 33,899 dead and 76,664 injured (as of April 17). Of these, 70% are women and children. Countless people suffer from war and armed conflict. This tragedy must not be allowed to continue or escalate.

These human-led wars not only cause human suffering, but have devastating consequences for all forms of existence on Earth, accelerating the climate crisis. According to a report by the Initiative on GHG Accounting of War, the Russian-Ukrainian war generated 150 million tons of greenhouse gases in the roughly 18 months from the end of February 2022, when the war broke out, to the end of August 2023. That’s more greenhouse gases than Belgium’s in a whole year, and if its costs are included, it amounts to 9.6 billion dollars. In the roughly 60 days since October 7 last year, when the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated, 281,315 tons of greenhouse gases were emitted – more than the annual emissions of 20 countries. Greenhouse gas emissions from the destruction of buildings and industrial facilities and fires caused by the war are also significant, and the resulting environmental pollution cannot be ignored. The enormous emissions of greenhouse gases would not have occurred if the war had not started.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) today released the Trends in World Military Expenditure 2023. According to the trends, the world spent $2.43 trillion on military expenditures last year, an increase of 6.8% from the previous year. This translates into an expenditure of KRW 6.4 billion per minute and an expenditure of KRW 100 million per second. South Korea ranks eleventh in the world in military expenditure, spending 2.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP), the fifth highest after Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia and the US. While the world engages in military buildups and increasing militarism, it does nothing to prevent wars or resolve conflicts. Instead, it only accelerates the vicious cycle of mutual threats, arms races, military operations and armed conflict.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula is no different. Yoon Seok-yul’s government, which has emphasized “peace through strength,” has declared the DPRK its “main enemy” and is moving toward an escalating military confrontation. All channels for dialogue between South and North Korea, including between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States (US), have been cut off and even the inter-Korean military agreement has been suspended. A large-scale combined ROK-US military exercise and outdoor maneuvers, including training for landing operations, have resumed, and US nuclear strategic assets are deployed on the Korean Peninsula at all times. The DPRK has also labeled the ROK as its “main antagonist” and “immutable enemy,” emphasizing the need to cut off the war and prepare for war. This uncompromising confrontation between the two Koreas is endlessly escalating the crisis. The reality we now face is such a dangerous situation that it would not be surprising if war broke out at some point.

In 2024, the ROK’s defense budget is KRW 59.24 trillion, up 4.2% from the previous year, with KRW 17.6 trillion for defense improvements for weapons acquisition. The ROK’s defense budget is 1.6 times the DPRK’s gross domestic product (GDP). In the name of counting the DPRK’s nuclear and missile threats, the ROK is investing vast amounts of money in South Korea’s ‘Three-Axis System’, including securing pre-emptive strike capabilities such as Kill Chain. It is engaged in aggressive military strategies and military build-up plans, such as the early qualification of the ‘South Korean Iron Dome’, the introduction of additional F-35A stealth fighter jets, the acquisition of independent surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the construction of AI -based unmanned and robotic combat systems, and the strengthening of the ROK-U.S. Extended deterrence. According to it <2024-2028 Defense Midterm Plan> of the ROK, the government plans to invest 348.7 trillion won in the defense budget over the next five years. Meanwhile, the “two wars” pushed arms sales by defense companies to a record high last year, and one of the biggest profiteers from the “death business” was the ROK.

It is time to prioritize our limited budgets and resources to tackle the climate crisis, reduce social inequality and build peace, not military spending. The money the world has spent on war and war preparations is money that could have been used to save people and the planet. The ROK emits the thirteenth largest amount of greenhouse gases in the world, but ranks 64th out of 67 in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the lowest of the low. The carbon neutrality budget for 2024 is only KRW 14.5181 trillion. According to the 2024 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) progress report, the ROK has the lowest renewable energy costs and the lowest biodiversity index among OECD countries. It also ranks lowest on gender equality indicators.

It has been observed that the average temperature in the world is higher than 1.5℃. This year, the second hand of the ‘doomsday clock’ is set to ’90 seconds to midnight’, signifying the fall of the world, which is very worrying. If we do not act now, we will face ‘irreversible risks’; real crises that threaten our lives and daily routines are the inescapable reality we face. We must reprioritize the use of our budgets and resources towards ‘human security’, and not towards ‘military security’, towards the coexistence of all life, and not towards war and destruction.

We demand this on the Global Days of Action for Disarmament in 2024.

Let us make every diplomatic effort to achieve an “immediate ceasefire” in Ukraine and Gaza.

Let us cease all military actions and hostilities that threaten each other on the Korean Peninsula and restore communication channels for crisis management. Both South and North Korea should return to the spirit of the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement and put an end to all military actions and threats that could lead to accidental conflict, and establish minimal channels of dialogue to avoid armed conflict to prevent.

Let us stop the arms race and military operation and make peace through dialogue, cooperation and peaceful means. Let us work to improve relations through phased disarmament and resumption of dialogue, not through more weapons and military exercises.

Let’s stop arms exports to conflict countries to stop wars. Above all, stop military cooperation and arms trade with Israel, which is committing genocide.

Let us use our limited resources, human resources and technology to solve problems that threaten lives and everyday life, and not to prepare for war. Let’s drastically cut military spending to address social inequality, prevent disasters, build social safety nets, and tackle the climate crisis.

April 22, 2024
Global days of action for the 2024 disarmament campaign in South Korea
BDS Korea
Catholic Extinction Rebellion
Civil military watch
Climate Christian solidarity
Daejeon Women’s Association for Peace
End ecocide Korea
Energy justice actions
Geumjunggul Human Rights & Peace Foundation
Green Korea United
Green Party Korea
Jeju Peace Human Rights Institute WHAT
Jesuit Research Center for Advocacy and Solidarity
Korean Association of Christian Women for Women Minjung (Gidok-Yominhoe)
Korean Youth Corps
Korea-Vietnam Peace Foundation
Korean House for International Solidarity
NANCEN
National Council of Churches in Korea
Pax Christi Korea (PCK)
PDHEDU IN
Peace ground
PEACEMOMO
Peace Network
Popular Solidarity Participatory Democracy (PSPD)
Pyeongtaek Peace Center
The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan
Women who make peace
World without war

Translation: PEACEMOMO

Joint statement (see/download)
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