```

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 52 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 52

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Security Consultative Meeting 
          between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 15, 2018

   Mr. Gardner (for himself and Mr. Markey) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Security Consultative Meeting 
          between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

Whereas, on October 31, 2018, the United States and the Republic of Korea (also 
        known as ``ROK'') co-hosted the 50th annual Republic of Korea-United 
        States Security Consultative Meeting (commonly known and referred to in 
        this preamble as the ``SCM'');
Whereas the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States dates 
        back to the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, in which the United States 
        committed to defending its ally from outside aggression;
Whereas the United States currently stations 28,500 troops on the Korean 
        Peninsula as part of the obligation of the United States to defend the 
        Republic of Korea;
Whereas the SCM supports broader diplomatic engagements between the 2 allies 
        that span a broad array of issues important to the people of the 
        Republic of Korea and to the people of the United States;
Whereas the SCM has been crucial to the continued economic prosperity of the 
        Republic of Korea and to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula;
Whereas the SCM has reinforced the critical alliance between the Republic of 
        Korea and the United States and deepens the friendship between the 2 
        countries;
Whereas the 50th anniversary of the SCM signifies an enduring alliance based on 
        the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of 
        law;
Whereas the SCM uses the ``Joint Vision for ROK-U.S. Alliance'' and the 
        ``Guidelines for ROK-U.S. Defense Cooperation'' to enhance the alliance 
        beyond one of military cooperation to one of mutual trust;
Whereas the SCM has been crucial in facilitating independent operational 
        capabilities of the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, allowing 
        those forces to expand their defense capabilities and assume operational 
        control of the combined forces under the current armistice;
Whereas the SCM is key to strengthening bilateral cooperation in responding to 
        global security challenges and threats, including terrorism, piracy, 
        natural disasters, peacekeeping operations, and stabilization and 
        reconstruction;
Whereas the SCM will continue to pursue complete, verifiable, and irreversible 
        dismantlement of the nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs of 
        North Korea to maintain a lasting peace; and
Whereas, with the continued and growing threat from the Democratic People's 
        Republic of Korea, and the increasing importance of the Indo-Pacific 
        region, the SCM has come to represent the irreplaceable friendship and 
        alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Republic of 
        Korea-United States Security Consultative Meeting (``SCM'') and 
        the enduring relationship between the United States and the 
        Republic of Korea that the SCM represents;
            (2) reaffirms the military alliance based on mutual trust 
        and shared values between the United States and the Republic of 
        Korea;
            (3) recognizes that the alliance between the United States 
        and the Republic of Korea will remain ironclad, irrespective of 
        any efforts by third parties to sow discord between the 
        countries; and
            (4) supports the continued pursuit of--
                    (A) a complete, verifiable, and irreversible 
                dismantlement of the nuclear weapons and ballistic 
                missile programs of North Korea; and
                    (B) lasting peace and stability on the Korean 
                Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
                                 <all>
```