,,iii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #bj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #be1 #bjac ,mr4 ,kaine 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,menendez1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,baucus1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,rockefeller1 ,mr4 ,tester1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,donnelly1 and ,ms4 ,warren7 submitted the following concurrent resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,concurrent ,,resolution ,encouraging peace and reunification on the ,korean ,peninsula4 ,whereas the ,republic of ,korea 7in this resolution referred to as ,south ,korea7 and the ,democratic ,people's ,republic of ,korea 7in this resolution referred to as ,north ,korea7 have never formally ended hostilities and have been technically in a state of war since the ,armistice ,agreement was signed on ,july #bg1 #aiec2 ,whereas the ,united ,states1 as representing the ,united ,nations ,forces ,command which was a signatory to the ,armistice ,agreement1 and with #bh1ejj of its troops currently stationed in ,south ,korea1 has a stake in the progress towards peace and reunification on the ,korean ,peninsula2 ,whereas progress towards peace and reunification on the ,korean ,peninsula would mean greater security and prosperity for the region and the world2 ,whereas1 at the end of ,world ,war ,,ii1 ,korea officially gained independence from ,japanese rule1 as agreed to at the ,cairo ,conference on ,november #bb1 #aidc1 through ,november #bf1 #aidc2 ,whereas1 on ,august #aj1 #aide1 the ,korean ,peninsula was temporarily divided along the #chth parallel into two military occupation zones commanded by the ,united ,states and the ,soviet ,union2 ,whereas1 on ,june #be1 #aiej1 communist ,north ,korea invaded the ,south1 thereby initiating the ,korean ,war and diminishing prospects for a peaceful unification of ,korea2 ,whereas1 during the ,korean ,war1 approximately #a1ghi1jjj members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces served in-theater along with the ,south ,korean forces and #bj other members of the ,united ,nations to secure peace on the ,korean ,peninsula and in the ,asia-,pacific region2 ,whereas1 since the end of the ,korean ,war era1 the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces have remained in ,south ,korea to promote regional peace2 ,whereas provocations by the ,government of ,north ,korea in recent years have escalated tension and instability in the ,asia-,pacific region2 ,whereas one of the largest obstacles to peace and reunification on the ,korean ,peninsula is the presence of nuclear weapons in ,north ,korea2 ,whereas the refusal of the ,government of ,north ,korea to denuclearize disrupts peace and security on the ,korean ,peninsula2 ,whereas1 beginning in #bjjc1 the ,united ,states1 along with the two ,koreas1 ,japan1 the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 and the ,russian ,federation1 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 development2 ,whereas the three-mile wide buffer zone between the two ,koreas1 known as the ,demilitarized ,zone1 or ,,dmz1 is the most heavily armed border in the world2 ,whereas the ,korean ,war separated more than #aj1jjj1jjj ,korean family members1 including #ajj1jjj ,korean ,americans who1 after #fj years of separation1 are still waiting to see their families in ,north ,korea2 ,whereas reunification remains a long-term goal of ,south ,korea2 ,whereas ,south ,korea and ,north ,korea are both full members of the ,united ,nations1 whose stated purpose includes maintaining international peace and security1 and to that end take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace2 ,whereas the ,governments and people of the ,united ,states and ,south ,korea have continuously stood shoulder-to-shoulder to promote and defend international peace and security1 economic prosperity1 human rights1 and the rule of law both on the ,korean ,peninsula and beyond1 and the denuclearization of ,north ,korea2 and ,whereas ,july #bg1 #bjac1 marks the #fjth anniversary of the ,armistice ,agreement of the ,korean ,war3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that ,congress-- 7#a7 recognizes the historical importance of the ,korean ,war1 which began on ,june #be1 #aiej2 7#b7 honors the noble service and sacrifice of members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces and the armed forces of allied countries that have served in ,korea since #aiej2 7#c7 reaffirms the commitment of the ,united ,states to its alliance with ,south ,korea for the betterment of peace and prosperity on the ,korean ,peninsula2 and 7#d7 calls on the ,government of ,north ,korea to abide by international law and cease its nuclear weapons program and denuclearize completely in order to resume talks that could eventually lead to peace and reunification4