Nogok Tragedy:
Military Drills and the Case for the International People’s Tribunal
Margaret Engel
Student and Campaigns Coordinator, Peace Action New York State
Member, International Organizing Committee for the A-Bomb Tribunal
On the morning of Thursday, March 6th, the South Korean village of Nogok, part of the city of Pocheon and near the border of North Korea, was hit in a misfire airstrike by the South Korean military during a drill. Although there are no reported fatalities, 15 were injured and several buildings were damaged, including the local Catholic church. The South Korean military has apologized for the misfire and pledged to compensate victims. Although their response may alleviate immediate ramifications for the airstrike, the broader implications for such an egregious error should not be overlooked as the military drills continue and tensions along the 38th parallel escalate.
Shell Drops on Civilian Home in Pocheon – Yonhap News
Monday, March 10th, marked the official beginning of the annual joint military drill, known as Freedom Shield. Freedom Shield is a 10-day operation carried out by South Korea and the United States and is a long-standing initiative of the alliance between the two countries to counteract the perceived threat of North Korea and China. Its operations include preemptive attack scenarios and further deteriorate relations between all of the countries involved; its mere existence poses a threat to peace in the region and continues to put civilian lives at risk. The exercise has been occurring annually and has taken on various titles and agendas since 1968. This year’s operation is particularly consequential given the arms buildup on both sides of the Korean peninsula.
Nogok is a mere 20 miles from the border with North Korea. A miscalculation in this drill resulted in the hospitalization of several people and destroyed homes. Imagine if this miscalculation were to cause the airstrike to hit the border or a village in North Korea—this very well could have signaled actual combat between North Korean and South Korean troops along the border, leading to a full-scale battle. When potential nuclear weapons detonation is on the line, miscalculations are unacceptable, and drills such as these put innocent people in danger.
In the wake of the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and as Korean atomic bomb victims travel across the United States to deliver their testimonies and garner support for the International People’s Tribunal, it is critical we recognize the forces working against us and the power they hold. The tribunal is so important because it demands accountability from the United States government, whose military continues to prevent peace on the Korean Peninsula and uses the Korean military as an extension of its own power in Northeastern Asia. The safety of the Korean people should not be tied to the whims of American generals or the miscalculations of computerized missile launching systems. Supporting the 2026 International People’s Tribunal will help us to demand nuclear justice for Koreans and Americans and prevent future wars.
Nogok Tragedy:
Military Drills and the Case for the International People’s Tribunal
Margaret Engel
Student and Campaigns Coordinator, Peace Action New York State
Member, International Organizing Committee for the A-Bomb Tribunal
On the morning of Thursday, March 6th, the South Korean village of Nogok, part of the city of Pocheon and near the border of North Korea, was hit in a misfire airstrike by the South Korean military during a drill. Although there are no reported fatalities, 15 were injured and several buildings were damaged, including the local Catholic church. The South Korean military has apologized for the misfire and pledged to compensate victims. Although their response may alleviate immediate ramifications for the airstrike, the broader implications for such an egregious error should not be overlooked as the military drills continue and tensions along the 38th parallel escalate.
Shell Drops on Civilian Home in Pocheon – Yonhap News
Monday, March 10th, marked the official beginning of the annual joint military drill, known as Freedom Shield. Freedom Shield is a 10-day operation carried out by South Korea and the United States and is a long-standing initiative of the alliance between the two countries to counteract the perceived threat of North Korea and China. Its operations include preemptive attack scenarios and further deteriorate relations between all of the countries involved; its mere existence poses a threat to peace in the region and continues to put civilian lives at risk. The exercise has been occurring annually and has taken on various titles and agendas since 1968. This year’s operation is particularly consequential given the arms buildup on both sides of the Korean peninsula.
Nogok is a mere 20 miles from the border with North Korea. A miscalculation in this drill resulted in the hospitalization of several people and destroyed homes. Imagine if this miscalculation were to cause the airstrike to hit the border or a village in North Korea—this very well could have signaled actual combat between North Korean and South Korean troops along the border, leading to a full-scale battle. When potential nuclear weapons detonation is on the line, miscalculations are unacceptable, and drills such as these put innocent people in danger.
In the wake of the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and as Korean atomic bomb victims travel across the United States to deliver their testimonies and garner support for the International People’s Tribunal, it is critical we recognize the forces working against us and the power they hold. The tribunal is so important because it demands accountability from the United States government, whose military continues to prevent peace on the Korean Peninsula and uses the Korean military as an extension of its own power in Northeastern Asia. The safety of the Korean people should not be tied to the whims of American generals or the miscalculations of computerized missile launching systems. Supporting the 2026 International People’s Tribunal will help us to demand nuclear justice for Koreans and Americans and prevent future wars.