Title: A resolution recognizing the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and the transformation of the United States-South Korea alliance into a mutually beneficial, global partnership.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution reaffirms the critical importance of the alliance between the United States and South Korea. The resolution encourages coordination between the two countries in certain areas and emphasizes that the United States Forces Korea remains prepared to counter third-party aggression.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 615 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 615

Recognizing the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and 
  the transformation of the United States-South Korea alliance into a 
                mutually beneficial, global partnership.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 11, 2020

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and 
  the transformation of the United States-South Korea alliance into a 
                mutually beneficial, global partnership.

Whereas June 25, 2020, marks the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean 
        War, when the armed forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 
        (North Korea) attacked the Republic of Korea (South Korea) on June 25, 
        1950;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 83 on June 27, 
        1950, recommending ``Members of the United Nations furnish assistance to 
        the Republic of Korea'' and Resolution 84 on July 7, 1950, recommending 
        Members make military forces and other assistance available ``to a 
        unified command under the United States of America'';
Whereas, on July 27, 1953, an Armistice Agreement was signed by United States 
        Army Lieutenant General William Harrison, Jr. representing the United 
        Nations Command with the Korean People's Army and the Chinese People's 
        Volunteer Army to ``insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of 
        all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is 
        achieved'';
Whereas the Armistice Agreement remains in force today and by its terms has 
        neither formally ended the Korean War nor constituted a permanent 
        settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula;
Whereas, on October 1, 1953, a Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States 
        and South Korea was signed in Washington, DC (5 UST 2368), with 
        ratification advised by and consented to by the Senate on January 26, 
        1954, and the treaty remains in force today ``to strengthen their 
        efforts for collective defense for the preservation of peace and 
        security'';
Whereas, during the Korean War, 1,789,000 United States soldiers, sailors, 
        airmen, and Marines served in theater, 36,574 paid the ultimate 
        sacrifice with their lives in defense of freedom in South Korea, and 
        more than 7,500 members of the United States Armed Forces remain 
        classified by the Department of Defense as Missing in Action;
Whereas, on October 7, 2016, H.R. 1475, entitled the ``Korean War Veterans 
        Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act'' was introduced in the 114th Congress 
        by Representative Sam Johnson of Texas and became Public Law 114-230;
Whereas, according to House Report 114-433, the Korean War Veterans Memorial 
        Wall of Remembrance Act (Public Law 114-230) authorizes a Wall of 
        Remembrance to be added to the Korean War Veterans Memorial with the 
        names of those that died in theater, are listed as missing, or were 
        prisoners of war, and would also list the number of personnel that were 
        part of the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) 
        program;
Whereas the Korean War is no longer ``The Forgotten War'' but ``The Forgotten 
        Victory'' and June 25, 1950, is considered the symbolic start of the 
        ironclad United States-South Korea alliance that was forged in blood;
Whereas, in the 70 years since the outbreak of the Korean War, the United 
        States-South Korea alliance has transformed itself from a security 
        relationship into a comprehensive global partnership;
Whereas South Korea is considered one of the greatest post-World War II success 
        stories, and its continued partnership with the United States remains 
        the linchpin of United States foreign policy in Northeast Asia;
Whereas the United States and South Korea have stood shoulder to shoulder in all 
        four major conflicts the United States has faced since the Korean War, 
        while maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula and contributing to 
        global prosperity through the shared values of democracy, human rights, 
        the rule of law, and a free market economy;
Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States to maintain its 
        forward deployed presence in South Korea through United States Forces 
        Korea (USFK), a premier Joint force that is ``well led, disciplined, 
        trained and ready to Fight Tonight and win'';
Whereas the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-409) calls 
        for the strengthening and broadening of diplomatic, economic, and 
        security ties between the United States and South Korea;
Whereas the 70-year transformation of the United States-South Korea alliance 
        into a mutually beneficial partnership has recently led to important 
        coordination and cooperation in confronting global pandemics, including 
        H1N1 in 2009 and COVID-19 in 2020;
Whereas the Government of South Korea has made significant contributions to the 
        global community in combating COVID-19, including the manufacture and 
        export of Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test 
        kits to the United States Government and various State governments, 
        including Colorado;
Whereas, on May 8, 2020, the Government of South Korea donated 500,000 masks to 
        be distributed to Korean War veterans throughout the United States, 
        including the Navajo Nation, in a gesture of gratitude and in 
        commemoration of the seventieth anniversary of the outbreak of the 
        Korean War; and
Whereas, on May 10, 2020, the Government of South Korea donated 2,000,000 masks 
        to the United States to help fill shortages in hospitals most impacted 
        by COVID-19: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes that the United States-South Korea alliance 
        serves as the linchpin of regional stability and mutual 
        security in Northeast Asia;
            (2) reiterates that the United States and South Korea share 
        an enduring interest in the continued strength of the bilateral 
        alliance, including deepening the military, diplomatic, 
        economic, and cultural ties between the United States and South 
        Korea, as well as broadening alliance cooperation to confront 
        21st century challenges, such as global health, the 
        environment, and energy security;
            (3) emphasizes that the United States-South Korea alliance 
        espouses shared democratic values and remains committed to 
        human rights, the rule of law, and free market principles and 
        therefore plays an expanding role in stability and security far 
        beyond the Korean Peninsula;
            (4) reaffirms that the Governments of the United States and 
        South Korea must pursue a coordinated policy of diplomatic 
        engagement, economic pressure, and military deterrence to 
        achieve peace and the denuclearization of North Korea;
            (5) emphasizes that United States Forces Korea (USFK) 
        remains prepared in presence and disposition to counter any 
        attempted third-party aggression or coercion, and relies on the 
        vital contributions of the dedicated Korean national employees 
        of USFK; and
            (6) reaffirms that the United States-South Korea alliance 
        is a critical force to uphold the post-World War II liberal 
        global order built by our two nations.
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