[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 136 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 136

 Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the 
Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, and congratulating Park Geun-Hye on her 
          election to the Presidency of the Republic of Korea.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 9, 2013

   Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
    Begich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Murphy) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the 
Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, and congratulating Park Geun-Hye on her 
          election to the Presidency of the Republic of Korea.

Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and the Republic of 
        Korea share a comprehensive alliance, a dynamic partnership, and a 
        personal friendship rooted in the common values of freedom, democracy, 
        and a free market economy;
Whereas the relationship between the people of the United States and the 
        Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea's Chosun Dynasty, when the 
        United States and Korea established diplomatic relations under the 1882 
        Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation;
Whereas July 27, 2013, will mark the 60th anniversary of the cessation of 
        hostilities and the armistice of the Korean War, signed at Panmunjom, 
        and 60 years in which the peninsula has seen no major hostilities, 
        despite tensions and provocations from the Government of North Korea;
Whereas the United States-Republic of Korea alliance was forged in blood, with 
        casualties of the United States during the Korean War of 54,246 dead (of 
        whom 33,739 were battle deaths) and more than 103,284 wounded, and 
        casualties of the Republic of Korea of over 50,000 soldiers dead and 
        over 10,000 wounded;
Whereas the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act (Public Law 111-41) was enacted 
        on July 27, 2009, and President Barack Obama issued a proclamation to 
        designate the date as the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day and 
        called upon Americans to display flags at half-staff in memory of the 
        Korean War veterans;
Whereas October 1, 2013, will mark the 60th anniversary of the Mutual Defense 
        Treaty of 1953, to which the Senate gave its advice and consent to 
        ratification on January 26, 1954;
Whereas the Republic of Korea has stood shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the 
        United States in all 4 major engagements the United States has faced 
        since World War II--the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, in 
        Afghanistan, and in Iraq;
Whereas the Republic of Korea has shown global leadership in humanitarian and 
        peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, the Gulf of Aden, and other nations 
        around the world, such as Haiti;
Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and the Republic of 
        Korea are working closely together to promote international peace and 
        security, economic prosperity, human rights, and the rule of law;
Whereas the Government of the Republic of Korea is consistently a top-10 
        purchaser of United States defense articles and equipment, and is a 
        member of the NATO+4 group for United States foreign military sales 
        through the enactment on October 15, 2008, of the Naval Vessel Transfer 
        Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-429);
Whereas, in the 60 years since the Korean War armistice and the founding of the 
        alliance, the Republic of Korea emerged from war-torn poverty into a 
        $1,000,000,000,000 economy with a $30,000 per capita GDP, a success of 
        the post-World War II era built by South Koreans' perseverance and 
        supported by the strength of the United States-Republic of Korea 
        partnership;
Whereas the Republic of Korea is a member of the Organization for Economic Co-
        operation and Development (OECD) and a nonpermanent member of the United 
        Nations Security Council and has hosted global forums, such as the G-20 
        Summit and the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit;
Whereas the Republic of Korea is a major economic and trade partner of the 
        United States and cemented a Free Trade Agreement (Public Law 112-41) on 
        October 21, 2011, which entered into force on March 15, 2012;
Whereas there are deep cultural and personal ties between the peoples of the 
        United States and the Republic of Korea, as exemplified by the large 
        flow of visitors and exchanges each year between the two countries, 
        including Korean students studying in United States colleges and 
        universities, and nearly 2,000,000 Korean-Americans that reside in the 
        United States;
Whereas the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 
        (Public Law 110-53) set the criteria for Korea's successful entry into 
        the United States visa waiver program on November 17, 2008;
Whereas the election on December 19, 2012, and the inauguration on February 17, 
        2013, of Park Geun-Hye to the presidency of the Republic of Korea marks 
        an historic milestone as the first female head of state ever 
        democratically elected in the Northeast Asia region;
Whereas the United States looks forward to the next 60 years and beyond of an 
        increasingly solid and enduring partnership with the Republic of Korea 
        with expanded cooperation on security, economic, environmental, and 
        cultural issues bilaterally and in the region; and
Whereas, on May 8, 2013, President Park will address a Joint Meeting of Congress 
        at the invitation of the Speaker of the House: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Korean War 
        Armistice and the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953;
            (2) reaffirms the importance and resiliency of the United 
        States-Korea alliance as a linchpin in maintaining peace and 
        stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the greater East Asia 
        region; and
            (3) congratulates Park Geun-Hye on her historic election to 
        the presidency of the Republic of Korea and wishes her well 
        during her tenure of leadership.
                                 <all>