IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 634 

Recognizing the importance of the United States-Republic of Korea-Japan 

trilateral relationship to counter North Korean threats and nuclear proliferation, and to ensure regional security and human rights. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 2, 2016 

Mr. SALMON (for himself, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. BERA, Mr. 

DESJARLAIS, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. CICILLINE, and Mr. 

ROHRABACHER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of the United States-Republic 

of Korea-Japan trilateral relationship to counter North 

Korean threats and nuclear proliferation, and to ensure 

regional security and human rights. 

Whereas, on January 6, 2016, North Korea conducted its 

fourth nuclear test and on February 6, 2016, North 

Korea conducted an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile 

technology test, both constituting direct and egregious 

violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions; 

Whereas each of the governments of the United States, the 

Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan have condemned 

the recent tests, underscoring the importance of a strong 

and united international response; 

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•HRES 634 IH 

Whereas the ROK President Park Geun-hye and Japan 

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have agreed to work with the 

United States both to institute strong measures in reaction to North Korean provocations, and to prevent North 

Korea from becoming a nuclear weapons state; 

Whereas the United States, ROK, and Japan have signed a 

framework to enhance information sharing called the 

‘‘Trilateral Information Sharing Arrangement Concerning 

the Nuclear and Missile Threats Posed by North Korea’’; 

Whereas Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea (ROK), 

is 35 miles from the Demilitarized Zone, and Japan is 

650 miles from North Korea, both within reach of North 

Korea’s weapons; 

Whereas North Korea already has an estimated stockpile of 

nuclear material that could be converted into 10–16 nuclear weapons, with clear intentions to continue nuclear 

proliferation activities; 

Whereas North Korea consistently conducts destabilizing domestic military drills, including firing short range missiles into the territorial waters of its neighbors; 

Whereas United States Northern Command Admiral William 

Gortney has assessed on October 5, 2015, that the North 

Koreans ‘‘have the capability to reach the [U.S.] homeland with a nuclear weapon from a rocket’’ and U.S. 

Forces Korea Commander General Curtis M. Scaparrotti 

said on October 24, 2014, that North Koreans ‘‘have the 

capability to have miniaturized the device [a nuclear warhead] at this point, and they have the technology to potentially deliver what they say they have.’’; 

Whereas the ROK’s indigenous missile defense capabilities 

are limited in their ability to deter North Korea’s threats, 

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•HRES 634 IH 

and would be greatly improved with the United States deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense 

(THAAD) system; 

Whereas the Report of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on human rights in North Korea highlights that 

North Korea’s own citizens are starved of life’s basic necessities and basic human rights; 

Whereas the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has established a field-based 

structure for assessing continued North Korean human 

rights violations in Seoul, with the strong support of all 

three governments; and 

Whereas a strong United States-Republic of Korea-Japan trilateral relationship is a stabilizing force for peace and security in the region, with capabilities to combat future 

provocations from North Korea: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) strongly condemns North Korea’s nuclear 

3 tests, missile launches, and continued provocations; 

4 (2) reaffirms the importance of the United 

5 States-Republic of Korea-Japan trilateral relation6 ship to counter North Korea’s destabilizing activities 

7 and nuclear proliferation, and to bolster regional se8 curity; 

9 (3) supports joint military exercises and other 

10 efforts to strengthen cooperation, improve defense 

11 capabilities, and oppose regional threats like North 

12 Korea; 

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•HRES 634 IH 

1 (4) encourages the deployment and coordination 

2 of regional advanced ballistic missile defense sys3 tems; 

4 (5) calls for the expansion of information and 

5 intelligence sharing and sustained diplomatic co6 operation between the United States, ROK, and 

7 Japan; and 

8 (6) underscores the importance of the trilateral 

9 relationship in tracking North Korea human rights 

10 violations and holding it accountable for its abuses 

11 against its citizens and the citizens of other coun12 tries. 

Æ 

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