[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 65 (Thursday, May 9, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 136

       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.

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