II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 41 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 1, 2013 

Received 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Encouraging peace and reunification on the Korean 

Peninsula. 

Whereas the Republic of Korea (in this resolution referred to 

as ‘‘South Korea’’) and the Democratic People’s Republic 

of Korea (in this resolution referred to as ‘‘North 

Korea’’) have never formally ended hostilities and have 

been technically in a state of war since the Armistice 

Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953; 


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HCON 41 RDS 

Whereas the United States, representing the United Nations 

Forces Command which was a signatory to the Armistice 

Agreement, and with 28,500 of its troops currently stationed in South Korea, has a stake in the progress towards peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula; 

Whereas progress towards peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula would mean greater security and prosperity for the region and the world; 

Whereas, at the end of World War II, Korea officially gained 

independence from Japanese rule, as agreed to at the 

Cairo Conference on November 22, 1943, through November 26, 1943; 

Whereas, on August 10, 1945, the Korean Peninsula was 

temporarily divided along the 38th parallel into two military occupation zones commanded by the United States 

and the Soviet Union; 

Whereas, on June 25, 1950, communist North Korea attacked the South, thereby initiating the Korean War and 

diminishing prospects for a peaceful unification of Korea; 

Whereas, during the Korean War, more than 36,000 members of the United States Armed Forces were killed and 

approximately 1,789,000 members of the United States 

Armed Forces served in-theater along with the South Korean forces and 20 other members of the United Nations 

to secure peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the AsiaPacific region; 

Whereas, since the end of the Korean War era, the United 

States Armed Forces have remained in South Korea to 

promote regional peace; 


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HCON 41 RDS 

Whereas provocations by the Government of North Korea in 

recent years have escalated tension and instability in the 

Asia-Pacific region; 

Whereas North Korea’s human rights abuses, suppression of 

dissent, and hostility to South Korea remain significant 

obstacles to peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula; 

Whereas North Korea’s economic policies have led to extreme 

economic privation for its citizens, whose quality of life 

ranks among the world’s lowest; 

Whereas North Korea’s proliferation of nuclear and missile 

technology threatens international peace and stability; 

Whereas North Korea has systematically violated numerous 

International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations 

Security Council Resolutions with respect to its nuclear 

weapons and ballistic missile programs; 

Whereas the refusal of the Government of North Korea to 

denuclearize disrupts peace and security on the Korean 

Peninsula; 

Whereas, beginning in 2003, the United States, along with 

the two Koreas, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, 

and the Russian Federation, have engaged in six rounds 

of Six-Party Talks aimed at the verifiable and irreversible 

denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and finding a 

peaceful resolution to the security concerns resulting 

from North Korea’s nuclear development; 

Whereas the three-mile wide buffer zone between the two Koreas, known as the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, is the 

most heavily armed border in the world; 

Whereas the Korean War separated more than 10,000,000 

Korean family members, including 100,000 Korean 


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HCON 41 RDS 

Americans who, after 60 years of separation, are still 

waiting to see their families in North Korea; 

Whereas reunification remains a long-term goal of South 

Korea; 

Whereas South Korea and North Korea are both full members of the United Nations, whose stated purpose includes maintaining international peace and security, and 

to that end ‘‘take effective collective measures for the 

prevention and removal of threats to the peace’’; 

Whereas the Governments and people of the United States 

and South Korea have continuously stood shoulder-toshoulder to promote and defend international peace and 

security, economic prosperity, human rights, and the rule 

of law both on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, and the 

denuclearization of North Korea; and 

Whereas July 27, 2013, marks the 60th anniversary of the 

Armistice Agreement of the Korean War: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes the historical importance of the 

4 Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950; 

5 (2) honors the noble service and sacrifice of 

6 members of the United States Armed Forces and 

7 the armed forces of allied countries that have served 

8 in Korea since 1950; 

9 (3) reaffirms the commitment of the United 

10 States to its alliance with South Korea for the betVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:32 Aug 02, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC41.RDS HC41

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HCON 41 RDS 

1 terment of peace and prosperity on the Korean Pe2 ninsula; and 

3 (4) calls on North Korea to respect the funda4 mental human rights of its citizens, abandon and 

5 dismantle its nuclear weapons program, and end its 

6 nuclear and missile proliferation as integral steps to7 ward peace and eventual reunification. 

Passed the House of Representatives July 31, 2013. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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