[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 121 (Monday, September 26, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1946]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1946]]
                 EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO SOUTH KOREA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 26, 2005

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, fifty-five years ago, the United States came 
to the aid of South Korea, when it was invaded by Communist forces from 
across its northern border. This month, South Korea has come to the aid 
of the United States, when a natural disaster struck from across our 
southern coastline.
  With its generous pledge of $30 million in cash, services, and in-
kind contributions, South Korea joins a list of more than 90 countries 
that have offered some form of assistance to our efforts of relief and 
recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
  What is noteworthy is that, among those nearly 100 countries, South 
Korea is providing the fourth-largest offer of assistance. According to 
a recent statement by the Korean Embassy, ``Seoul's commitment of $30 
million will comprise of $5 million from the government budget with the 
remainder to be raised through a collection of contributions by the 
Korean National Red Cross, the religious community and Korean 
corporations with U.S. subsidiaries.'' In fact, just last week in New 
York, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) pledged $10 million to 
be collected from Korean conglomerates directly to the Bush-Clinton 
Katrina Fund.
  It is not mentioned often enough that South Korea is one of America's 
most important and trusted allies. In the global war on terror, there 
are more South Korean troops stationed in Iraq than any other nation 
besides the United States and the United Kingdom. They have assisted 
our efforts there from almost the moment the Saddam Hussein regime was 
toppled and have done so at great personal peril to the soldiers 
deployed and at considerable political risk to the government in Seoul.
  As I had the opportunity to travel to North Korea at the beginning of 
the year along with several of my colleagues, including Rep. Curt 
Weldon, the status of the Six-Party Talks to resolve North Korea's 
nuclear issue has been of great concern to me. That is why I was 
pleased to know that earlier this week, after lengthy deliberation, a 
joint statement was agreed to by all the parties involved.
  I commend the U.S. Envoy to the Six-Party Talks, my good friend 
Ambassador Christopher Hill, for his skillful diplomatic leadership in 
helping to achieve the accord. I also commend South Korea for remaining 
a key partner throughout the difficult negotiations. It is my hope that 
the joint statement will provide the impetus for a denuclearized Korean 
peninsula and I encourage the six nations to work together to make it a 
reality.
  For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my personal 
appreciation to the government and people of South Korea for all they 
have done to continually support the United States, at home and abroad. 
I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to offer their own 
expressions of gratitude to the Korean people for their generosity, 
spirit of friendship and abiding commitment to an enduring alliance 
partnership with the United States.

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