S.Res. 136 — Agreed to in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 136 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 9, 2013 Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Begich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Murphy) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Recognizing the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, and congratulating Park Geun-Hye on her election to the Presidency of the Republic of Korea. Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and the Republic of Korea share a comprehensive alliance, a dynamic partnership, and a personal friendship rooted in the common values of freedom, democracy, and a free market economy; Whereas the relationship between the people of the United States and the Republic of Korea stretches back to Korea’s Chosun Dynasty, when the United States and Korea established diplomatic relations under the 1882 Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation; Whereas July 27, 2013, will mark the 60th anniversary of the cessation of hostilities and the armistice of the Korean War, signed at Panmunjom, and 60 years in which the peninsula has seen no major hostilities, despite tensions and provocations from the Government of North Korea; Whereas the United States-Republic of Korea alliance was forged in blood, with casualties of the United States during the Korean War of 54,246 dead (of whom 33,739 were battle deaths) and more than 103,284 wounded, and casualties of the Republic of Korea of over 50,000 soldiers dead and over 10,000 wounded; Whereas the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act (Public Law 111–41) was enacted on July 27, 2009, and President Barack Obama issued a proclamation to designate the date as the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day and called upon Americans to display flags at half-staff in memory of the Korean War veterans; Whereas October 1, 2013, will mark the 60th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, to which the Senate gave its advice and consent to ratification on January 26, 1954; Whereas the Republic of Korea has stood shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the United States in all 4 major engagements the United States has faced since World War II—the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq; Whereas the Republic of Korea has shown global leadership in humanitarian and peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, the Gulf of Aden, and other nations around the world, such as Haiti; Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and the Republic of Korea are working closely together to promote international peace and security, economic prosperity, human rights, and the rule of law; Whereas the Government of the Republic of Korea is consistently a top-10 purchaser of United States defense articles and equipment, and is a member of the NATO+4 group for United States foreign military sales through the enactment on October 15, 2008, of the Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–429); Whereas, in the 60 years since the Korean War armistice and the founding of the alliance, the Republic of Korea emerged from war-torn poverty into a $1,000,000,000,000 economy with a $30,000 per capita GDP, a success of the post-World War II era built by South Koreans’ perseverance and supported by the strength of the United States-Republic of Korea partnership; Whereas the Republic of Korea is a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council and has hosted global forums, such as the G–20 Summit and the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit; Whereas the Republic of Korea is a major economic and trade partner of the United States and cemented a Free Trade Agreement (Public Law 112–41) on October 21, 2011, which entered into force on March 15, 2012; Whereas there are deep cultural and personal ties between the peoples of the United States and the Republic of Korea, as exemplified by the large flow of visitors and exchanges each year between the two countries, including Korean students studying in United States colleges and universities, and nearly 2,000,000 Korean-Americans that reside in the United States; Whereas the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–53) set the criteria for Korea’s successful entry into the United States visa waiver program on November 17, 2008; Whereas the election on December 19, 2012, and the inauguration on February 17, 2013, of Park Geun-Hye to the presidency of the Republic of Korea marks an historic milestone as the first female head of state ever democratically elected in the Northeast Asia region; Whereas the United States looks forward to the next 60 years and beyond of an increasingly solid and enduring partnership with the Republic of Korea with expanded cooperation on security, economic, environmental, and cultural issues bilaterally and in the region; and Whereas, on May 8, 2013, President Park will address a Joint Meeting of Congress at the invitation of the Speaker of the House: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953; (2) reaffirms the importance and resiliency of the United States-Korea alliance as a linchpin in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the greater East Asia region; and (3) congratulates Park Geun-Hye on her historic election to the presidency of the Republic of Korea and wishes her well during her tenure of leadership.