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.

III 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 Reso- lution 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, recom- mending Members make military forces and other assist- VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR615.IS SR615 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 615 IS ance 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 Wil- liam Harrison, Jr. representing the United Nations Com- mand 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 be- tween 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 de- fense of freedom in South Korea, and more than 7,500 members of the United States Armed Forces remain clas- sified by the Department of Defense as Missing in Ac- tion; Whereas, on October 7, 2016, H.R. 1475, entitled the ‘‘Ko- rean 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; VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR615.IS SR615 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 615 IS Whereas, according to House Report 114–433, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act (Pub- lic 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 con- sidered 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 trans- formed itself from a security relationship into a com- prehensive global partnership; Whereas South Korea is considered one of the greatest post- World War II success stories, and its continued partner- ship 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 contrib- uting 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR615.IS SR615 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 615 IS 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 broad- ening 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 partner- ship has recently led to important coordination and co- operation in confronting global pandemics, including H1N1 in 2009 and COVID–19 in 2020; Whereas the Government of South Korea has made signifi- cant contributions to the global community in combating COVID–19, including the manufacture and export of Re- verse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT– PCR) test kits to the United States Government and var- ious 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 com- memoration 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR615.IS SR615 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •SRES 615 IS (1) recognizes that the United States-South 1 Korea alliance serves as the linchpin of regional sta- 2 bility and mutual security in Northeast Asia; 3 (2) reiterates that the United States and South 4 Korea share an enduring interest in the continued 5 strength of the bilateral alliance, including deep- 6 ening the military, diplomatic, economic, and cul- 7 tural ties between the United States and South 8 Korea, as well as broadening alliance cooperation to 9 confront 21st century challenges, such as global 10 health, the environment, and energy security; 11 (3) emphasizes that the United States-South 12 Korea alliance espouses shared democratic values 13 and remains committed to human rights, the rule of 14 law, and free market principles and therefore plays 15 an expanding role in stability and security far be- 16 yond the Korean Peninsula; 17 (4) reaffirms that the Governments of the 18 United States and South Korea must pursue a co- 19 ordinated policy of diplomatic engagement, economic 20 pressure, and military deterrence to achieve peace 21 and the denuclearization of North Korea; 22 (5) emphasizes that United States Forces 23 Korea (USFK) remains prepared in presence and 24 disposition to counter any attempted third-party ag- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR615.IS SR615 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •SRES 615 IS gression or coercion, and relies on the vital contribu- 1 tions of the dedicated Korean national employees of 2 USFK; and 3 (6) reaffirms that the United States-South 4 Korea alliance is a critical force to uphold the post- 5 World War II liberal global order built by our two 6 nations. 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Jun 12, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR615.IS SR615 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS