In anticipation of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye’s address before a joint session of Congress today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel signed on to a bipartisan resolution reaffirming our country’s continued strategic partnership with South Korea. The resolution also condemns North Korea’s repeated aggression in the region and reiterates America’s commitment to protecting and working with South Korea. In addition, the resolution congratulates President Park on her recent historic election as the first ever female head of state elected in Northeast Asia.

The full text of resolution follows:

RESOLUTION

Reaffirming the United States commitment to the economic and military security of the Republic of Korea and expressing the shared vision of the people of the United States and the people of the Republic of Korea for a prosperous and peaceful Asian community on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

Whereas the Republic of Korea and the United States enjoy a warm friendship built on a commitment to security, joint economic development, cultural exchange, and the democratic process;

Whereas in the years after the Korean War, the Republic of Korea developed its civil society and built a vibrant democracy that is the basis for regional stability and an engine of global economic growth;

Whereas the Korean American community is a great reminder of the shared bonds of the people of the Republic of Korea and the United States forged by 60 years of friendship;

Whereas the success of this vibrant, inclusive democracy is demonstrated by the December 19, 2012, election of Park Geun-Hye to the presidency of the Republic of Korea, marking a historic milestone as the first female head of state ever elected in the Northeast Asia region;

Whereas the United States and the Republic of Korea have forged an economic partnership based on the principle of joint prosperity, signified by the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement which continues to spur growth in United States manufacturing exports, key agricultural exports, and services exports to the Republic of Korea, which all support jobs in the United States;

Whereas October 1, 2013, will mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea, signed on October 1, 1953, and entered into force November 17, 1954;

Whereas since the early 1950s, the United States has committed significant resources, including the lives of its citizens, to the security and integrity of the Republic of Korea and remembers the nearly 40,000 members of the United States Armed Forces who lost their lives during the Korean War;

Whereas in H. Res. 65, the House of Representatives condemned North Korea's ongoing nuclear activities and reaffirmed North Korea's obligation to abandon its nuclear weapons program and its ballistic missile program;

Whereas the international community has repeatedly condemned the North Korean nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile tests as harmful to global security and the interests of the entire Korean peninsula, most recently in the March 7, 2013, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2094 which implemented a fourth round of international sanctions;

Whereas North Korea has continued to threaten and strike against the Republic of Korea, a valued United States ally, including the March 2010 sinking of the Republic of Korea's navy ship Cheonan and the November 23, 2010, North Korean bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island, resulting in the deaths of 50 South Koreans;

Whereas the United States remains committed to honoring its obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty and fully supporting the approximately 28,000 men and women of the United States Armed Forces deployed on the Korean peninsula, enduring separation from their families and other hardships in solidarity with the armed forces of the Republic of Korea; and

Whereas the United States is working closely with the Republic of Korea to find a peaceful solution to the security concerns brought about by the North Korean nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program, even in the face of threats and provocations from North Korea that only serve to strengthen the bond between the Republic of Korea and the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That--

(1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the relationship between the Republic of Korea and the United States is one of great strength and mutual benefit; and

(2) the House of Representatives--

(A) affirms the unyielding support of the people of the United States for a secure Republic of Korea through its commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty and other measures to deter North Korean aggression and provocation;

(B) recommits to strengthening the economic, military, and cultural ties that provide both nations with such a valuable partner in confronting the economic and security challenges of the 21st century;

(C) congratulates President Park Geun-Hye on her historic election to the presidency of the Republic of Korea;

(D) welcomes President Park's visit to Washington, DC, on May 6, 2013, to May 8, 2013; and

(E) wishes President Park well during her tenure of leadership.

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