PRINTER'S NO. 1859
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
348
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY COLLETT, MENSCH, PHILLIPS-HILL, ARGALL, FONTANA,
ARNOLD, SANTARSIERO, IOVINO, BROOKS, BROWNE, J. WARD,
BREWSTER, BLAKE, GORDNER, COSTA AND TARTAGLIONE,
JULY 27, 2020
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JULY 27, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing June 25, 2020, in honor of the 70th anniversary of
the Korean War and further calling for the achievement of
peace in the Korean Peninsula.
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; and
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; and
WHEREAS, On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded the Republic
of Korea with approximately 135,000 troops, thereby initiating
the Korean War; and
WHEREAS, On June 27, 1950, President Harry S. Truman ordered
the United States Armed Forces to help the Republic of Korea
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defend itself against the North Korean invasion; and
WHEREAS, The hostilities ended in a cease-fire marked by the
signing of the armistice at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, and the
peninsula still technically remains in a state of war; and
WHEREAS, During the Korean War, approximately 1,789,000
members of the United States Armed Forces served in theater
along with the forces of the Republic of Korea and 20 other
members of the United Nations to defend freedom and democracy;
and
WHEREAS, In the 70 years since the outbreak of the Korean
War, the Republic of Korea has emerged from a war-torn economy
into one of the major economies in the world and one of the
largest trading partners of the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Republic of Korea is among the closest allies of
the United States, having contributed troops in support of
United States operations during the Vietnam War, Gulf War and
conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, while also showing global
leadership in humanitarian and peacekeeping missions in Lebanon,
the Gulf of Aden and other nations around the world supporting
numerous United Nations peacekeeping operations; and
WHEREAS, Since the end of the Korean War era, more than
28,500 members of the United States Armed Forces have served
annually in the United States Forces Korea to defend the
Republic of Korea against aggression and promote regional peace;
and
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; and
WHEREAS, There are deep cultural and personal ties between
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the people 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 million Korean Americans that reside in the United States; and
WHEREAS, According to the 2010 United States census and with
current estimates, there are roughly 41,000 people in
Pennsylvania who self-identify as Korean; and
WHEREAS, The United States looks forward to the next 70 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; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
join the Korean-American communities throughout the Commonwealth
in marking June 25, 2020, as the 70th anniversary of the Korean
War; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
respectfully call upon the President and Congress of the United
States, as well as all sides in these discussions, to come to
the table with the sincere intention of achieving peace in the
region, and take appropriate measures to facilitate stability in
the Korean region; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, each Senator
and Representative from Pennsylvania in the Congress of the
United States and the author for appropriate distribution.
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