[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 108 (Monday, July 28, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H5845-H5847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONCERNING THE SITUATION BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
KOREA AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 74) concerning the situation
between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of
Korea, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 74
Whereas the Korean demilitarized zone remains extremely
tense 44 years after the ending of the Korean War, as
evidenced most recently by a mortar attack and exchange of
gunfire on July 17, 1997;
Whereas with more than 1,000,000 soldiers in the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea and 600,000 soldiers in the
Republic of Korea, both militaries are on a constant high
alert;
Whereas the threat of North-South military confrontation
between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the
Republic of Korea is of grave concern to the United States;
Whereas 37,000 United States troops are stationed on the
Korean Peninsula;
Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have
long had a close relationship based on mutual respect, shared
security goals, and shared interests;
Whereas as a result of an invitation extended last year by
President Clinton and Republic of Korea President Kim Young
Sam, four-party preparatory talks involving the United
States, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, and the People's Republic of China are
likely to begin in August 1997 to determine timing, venue,
level of representation, and broad agenda categories for
forthcoming talks;
[[Page H5846]]
Whereas the participation of China is integral to the
success of any agreement; and
Whereas it will be impossible to resolve the conflict on
the Korean Peninsula and fashion a lasting solution unless
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of
Korea engage in direct dialogue, without depending on other
parties to act as intermediaries: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress--
(1) supports United States troops who have faithfully
served the interests of the United States by ensuring
stability on the Korean Peninsula;
(2) supports our Republic of Korea allies who have made
good faith efforts to resolve this conflict; and
(3) supports four-way talks between the United States,
China, the Republic of Korea, and the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea to peacefully and permanently resolve the
conflict between the two Koreas.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California [Mr. Kim] and the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton] each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim].
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. KIM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
General Leave
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on this concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, the Korean peninsula remains one of the world's
most heavily militarized regions, a hot spot of potential confrontation
that has endured for more than 40 years. The mortar attacks and
exchange of gunfire between the North and South Korean forces that
occurred on July 17, 1997, highlight the extremely tense situation that
exists every day along the so-called Demilitarized Zone.
As demonstrated by the presence of 37,000 American troops on the
Korean peninsula, the United States is formally committed to
maintaining stability and security in the region. Our strong support
for the four-party talks is a further proof that the United States
Government wants to see improved relations between North and South
Korea, which will hopefully bring a final and lasting peace to the
peninsula.
The distinguished gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings] has
introduced a timely and well-fashioned concurrent resolution that
reemphasizes the support of the Congress for our brave service men and
women stationed in the peninsula and for continued diplomatic efforts
to bring the two parties together to resolve the conflict. House
Concurrent Resolution 74 also, quite properly, recognizes our South
Korean allies for their good-faith efforts at achieving peace.
I fully support the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 74 and
commend the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings] for his leadership in
authorizing this resolution.
I thank the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], the chairman of
the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, for his prompt consideration
of this measure in his subcommittee, and the ranking Democrat on the
full committee, the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Hamilton], and on the
subcommittee, the gentleman from California [Mr. Berman], for their
cooperation in advancing it to this point.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1530
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and I rise in support of the resolution.
First I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Florida
who I think was the original cosponsor or the original sponsor of this
resolution, along with the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter]. The
Korean peninsula, I think, is the most dangerous place in the world
today. Yet American troops working in close partnership with our South
Korean friends and allies have helped maintain the peace there for over
44 years. So all of us owe a debt of gratitude to those who gave their
lives during the Korean war and to those who stand guard today along
the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.
This resolution gives voice to our gratitude, expresses our strong
backing for both American troops in Korea and our stalwart South Korean
allies. The resolution also supports the four-way talks between the
United States, China, the Republic of Korea, and the democratic
People's Republic of Korea to peacefully and permanently resolve the
conflict between the two Koreas. I think this legislation deserves our
support. I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida [Mr.
Hastings], the chief sponsor of this resolution.
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished
ranking member for yielding me this time.
I would like to thank the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim], the
gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. Bereuter], my friend and colleague, and
the gentleman from California [Mr. Berman] as well for their
expeditious handling of this matter in the Subcommittee on Asia and the
Pacific.
I especially point to the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim], my
good friend, for this resolution was conceived by me when the gentleman
from California [Mr. Kim] and myself and other Members of the House,
along with the Speaker of the House, visited South Korea. It was a
moving experience to go there and to go there with the gentleman from
California [Mr. Kim], who obviously understands and understood the
dynamics in that area better than any of us could.
It really is just a sense of the Congress expressing our support for
and encouragement of four-party talks between the United States, South
Korea, North Korea, and China. Since the Korean peninsula was divided
at the end of World War II, between the North and South, repeated
attempts at reunification have failed. The 1950 through 1953 Korean war
ended in an armistice agreement which altered hostilities but left the
two sides technically at war, divided by a heavily fortified
demilitarized zone that the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] and
myself and others had an opportunity to visit recently.
Since 1970 there have been several attempts to replace the 1953
armistice agreement with a peace deal that could lead to a unified
Korean peninsula. But as you know, Mr. Speaker, these attempts have
been fragile if not precarious, yet at times the dialogue between North
and South Korea has produced cooperation in various forms such as
cultural exchanges, a unified sports team, reunions of separated
families and limited trade.
With this resolution, it is our hope that the nothing ventured
nothing gained outlook prevails at the four-party talks initiated by
the United States and our stalwart ally, South Korea. Without the
participation of each and every one of the invited parties, these talks
will become moot. This resolution loudly and clearly states that the
U.S. Congress strongly encourages all parties to come to the table and
stay there until a formal peace treaty is developed.
For its part, North Korea is already plagued by food shortages and
economic mismanagement. Most nations avoid the North because its
leaders can be and at most times are unreliable. It has no legal
system. Its roads and railways are crumbling. Its work force is
starving and its huge military is a constant threat to peace and
stability in that region.
By encouraging these four-party talks, our goal is to alleviate the
immense threat that a dangerous, unstable region poses to our ally,
South Korea. Yet we must do so in a manner which does not necessarily
condemn North Korea. Rather, our solution must relieve the pain and
suffering in the region by replacing it with peace and security.
Forty-four years after the ending of the Korean war, the border
between the two countries remains extremely tense. The border remains
extremely tense as evidenced by the recent mortar attack and gunfire
exchange on July 17. Last August, when the gentleman from California
[Mr. Kim] and others and I traveled to South Korea with Speaker
Gingrich, we stood on that border and visited our troops stationed at
the demilitarized zone.
[[Page H5847]]
This amendment is also about American soldiers and South Korean
soldiers. It is an expression of support for the men and women
stationed over there with the hope that these four-party talks will
lead to a unified Korea, eliminating the need for their deployment.
Reunification is a goal claimed by both North and South Korea. Let us
encourage this ambition by making reunification a sincere goal of our
foreign policy. I urge all of our colleagues to support this
resolution. I thank the gentleman, once again, for yielding me the
time.
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Guam [Mr. Underwood].
Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member
for yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in strong support of the
resolution introduced by our colleague from Florida [Mr. Hastings],
which supports our U.S. troops who faithfully served the interests of
the United States by ensuring stability on the Korean peninsula and the
four-way talks between the United States, China, South Korea and North
Korea.
Mr. Speaker, I represent a very unique American community. The
American citizens of Guam live in the Asia-Pacific region, and Guam is
the closest American community to the events occurring on the Korean
peninsula and would be a crucial part of any effort to deal with any
hostilities on the peninsula.
Mr. Speaker, as part of my ongoing work in the Committee on National
Security, I have traveled to Korea for on-site briefings and witnessed
firsthand our challenge there. As America remains engaged in the effort
to peacefully settle the conflict between North and South Korea, we
must commend and vigorously support the recent efforts to begin the
four-way talks. These talks will contribute to greater security in the
Asia-Pacific region and are of tremendous importance to Guam and the
rest of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, this House has taken many steps in directing United
States policy in Korea. At a time of severe starvation and growing
internal strife in North Korea, we must resolve to act on our
commitments and demonstrate international leadership.
Passage of this resolution will again reassure Koreans that we in the
United States are working to establish a concrete and lasting peace on
the Korean peninsula by living up to our responsibility as a signer of
the armistice agreement. As we support the resolution, let us not
forget the distinguished service of our men and women in uniform who
have been the main force for peace in that part of the world.
I urge this body to pass this very important resolution.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from California [Mr. Royce], a member of the Subcommittee on
Asia and the Pacific, my good friend.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman
from California [Mr. Kim], for yielding to me this time. I want to
commend the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings] for offering this
resolution.
This resolution makes an important statement that the House of
Representatives supports our troops on the Korean peninsula. We support
our friends and allies in the Republic of Korea and we support the
proposed North-South four-party talks that at long last seem to be
moving forward.
We are all hopeful that the recent agreement of the North Korean
Government to sit down and agree to the final details of four-party
talks will lead to substantive negotiations. Now more than ever, it is
important to have such channels of communication open to discuss the
future of North Korea, and future relations between the North and
South. And I really want to take this opportunity to urge all of my
colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. Faleomavaega].
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support House Concurrent
Resolution 74, as introduced by my good friend and colleague, the
gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings].
Mr. Speaker, after that terrible conflict commonly known as the
Korean war, for some 44 years now our Nation has had to maintain an
effective presence in the demilitarized zone that is separating North
Korea from South Korea. Even until now, Mr. Speaker, the crisis in the
Korean Peninsula remains one of the most tense in the world. North
Korea has an army of over 1 million soldiers, compared to South Korea's
600,000 sailors and soldiers.
Mr. Speaker, history has demonstrated several times that all the
bullets, the guns, the cannons, and all other manner of military
weapons are not worth a dime if the country cannot feed its soldiers.
Recent reports indicate, Mr. Speaker, that there is currently a
shortfall of approximately 2.3 million tons of grain in North Korea.
What this simply means is that the North Korean people are starving and
there is serious concern if the crisis has been alleviated or do we
expect more problems in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I believe it is only proper that the People's Republic
of China, our Nation, and the two Koreas should engage in meaningful
dialog.
Mr. Speaker, I have been to South Korea, and I was very impressed
with its economic and political developments in recent years. With
South Korea's development in technology and industrialization, and with
the tremendous potential of resources available to North Korea, a
unified Korea could really become a great nation to provide for the
needs of some 60 million people living in both North and South Korea.
I want to commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim], my good
friend, for also being a part of the management of this legislation. I
urge my colleagues to support this piece of legislation.
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Kim) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House
Concurrent Resolution 74, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as
amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________