HR0231 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0231 LRB102 18156 ECR 25624 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Korean War, which was among the most destructive armed conflicts of the modern era, remains one of the world's longest ongoing wars, in which the Republic of Korea (South Korea), the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the United States have suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties and losses, millions of civilians killed and wounded, and millions of families separated; and

WHEREAS, On July 27, 1953, the United Nations Command, the North Korean People's Army, and the Chinese People's Volunteers entered into an armistice agreement; by its terms, it aimed to "insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved"; and

WHEREAS, The Korean War Armistice Agreement, by its terms, neither formally ended the war nor amounted to a final peaceful settlement; and

WHEREAS, The persistence of a state of war poses a constant risk and threat to the national security of the United States and its allies; and

WHEREAS, On April 27, 2018, the leaders of South Korea and North Korea met in Panmunjom, located on the border between North and South Korea, and declared that "there will be no more war and a new era of peace has begun on the Korean peninsula"; they further committed "to declare the end of war" on the Korean peninsula, being in agreement to promote meetings involving the United States "with a view to replacing the Armistice Agreement with a peace agreement and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime"; and

WHEREAS, On June 12, 2018, the leaders of the United States and North Korea met in Singapore and promised "to establish new relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity"; and

WHEREAS, The failure to reach a final peace settlement on the Korean peninsula has had long-term negative consequences on human rights, humanitarian conditions, and world peace, causing continued separation of families and incurred misappropriation of resources to excessive military spending rather than to the livelihoods of Americans and Koreans; and

WHEREAS, Fifteen Illinois National Guard units and their subordinate commands were called to federal service during the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, More than 1,789 Illinois servicemen shed blood for their country and the freedom of the Korean people in the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois continues standing for world peace, the national security of the United States, universal human rights, and humanitarian conditions; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we pay tribute to the sacrifices of the veterans of the Korean War, its victims, and the families separated by the war; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we salute the Illinois National Guard Korean War veterans and honor them for their commitment to country, courage, and sacrifice; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we would welcome a statement by the United States, in coordination with South Korea, declaring the end of the state of war with North Korea; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call for the conclusion of a binding peace agreement constituting a formal and final end to the state of war between South Korea, North Korea, and the United States; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm the vital role that women, who would be particularly vulnerable to any resumption of armed conflicts, must play in building a permanent and peaceful settlement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, the U.S. Senate Minority Leader, the U.S. Speaker of the House, the U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.