Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/1397

 124 STAT. 1371 PUBLIC LAW 111–201—JULY 7, 2010 Public Law 111–201 111th Congress Joint Resolution Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War and reaffirming the United States-Korea alliance. Whereas on June 25, 1950, communist North Korea invaded the Republic of Korea with approximately 135,000 troops, thereby initiating the Korean War; Whereas on June 27, 1950, President Harry Truman ordered the United States Armed Forces to help the Republic of Korea defend itself against the North Korean invasion; Whereas the hostilities ended in a cease-fire marked by the signing of the armistice at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953, and the penin- sula still technically remains in a state of war; 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; Whereas casualties of the United States during the Korean War included 54,246 dead (of whom 33,739 were battle deaths), more than 103,284 wounded, and approximately 8,055 listed as missing in action or prisoners of war; Whereas the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act (Public Law 111–41) was enacted on July 27, 2009, so that the honorable service and noble sacrifice by members of the United States Armed Forces in the Korean War will never be forgotten; Whereas President Barack Obama issued a proclamation to des- ignate July 27, 2009, 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 since 1975, the Republic of Korea has invited thousands of American Korean War veterans, including members of the Korean War Veterans Association, to revisit Korea in appreciation for their sacrifices; Whereas in the 60 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; 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 oper- ations in Iraq and Afghanistan, while also supporting numerous United Nations peacekeeping missions throughout the world; July 7, 2010 [S.J. Res. 32]