2018 -- S 2874

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LC005579

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES, FOR FORGING AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH

KOREA

     Introduced By: Senator Elaine J. Morgan

     Date Introduced: May 03, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     WHEREAS, For close to 68 years, the Korean Peninsula has been a point of crisis within

the world community. From War to numerous episodes that have cost lives and raised tensions

amongst regional nations and world superpowers, the problems of Korea have vexed all United

States Presidents since the Presidency of Harry S. Truman; and

     WHEREAS, From June 25, 1950, when North Korea, with the support of the former

Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, to July 27, 1953, when an armistice was reached,

a more than three year war was waged on the Korean Peninsula between the communist forces of

North Korea and China, aided by the Soviet Union, and the United Nations forces led by the

United States and South Korea. When an armistice was finally reached in 1953, casualties

between 500,000 and one million had been suffered, with the United States suffering the loss of

36,899 killed and 103,284 wounded along with 7,926 missing in action and 4,714 prisoners of

war. The death count for the other key participants in the Korean War were 137,899 for South

Korea, between 215,000 and 350,000 for North Korea, and 183,108 for China; and

     WHEREAS, The Korean War has technically never ended. When an armistice agreement

was reached in 1953, it called for a complete and immediate end of all hostilities until a final

peace agreement was reached. No such peace agreement has ever been reached in the almost 65

years since the hostilities ended. Instead, the Korean Peninsula was divided between North and

South Korea by a heavily armed, mined and fortified 160 mile long and 2.5 miles wide

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divided each nation East to West; and

     WHEREAS, Since the Armistice, North Korea, South Korea, nations in the region and

the United States have lived in fear of a possible resumption of hostilities and the carnage that

would presumably occur. The Korean Peninsula is the most heavily armed region on the globe

with both North and South Korea having formidable militaries. Additionally, China and Russia

border North Korea and have traditionally been allies of the North Koreans, while the United

States, an ally of South Korea, has approximately 35,000 military personnel in South Korea and

an additional 40,000 military personnel in nearby Japan; and

     WHEREAS, Over the past sixty-five years numerous incidents, events and hostile actions

have taken place that have destabilized the region and brought the world close to possible

conflict. On January 23, 1968, the North Koreans captured an American ship, the USS Pueblo

and, after killing one sailor, held the other 82 United States Navy personnel hostage until finally

releasing them on December 23, 1968. From 1993 to 2000, the North Korean people suffered

through a horrific famine that killed between 500,000 and 600,000 people. However, none of the

many events that have occurred within Korea have caused as much tension or brought as much

fear to the world as the attempts by the North Korean government to develop a nuclear missile

program; and

     WHEREAS, Since 1993, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported

North Korea's noncompliance with inspections to the United Nations, the world has faced the

specter of nuclear war as seemingly every year North Korea would reach a new marker on the

way towards becoming a nuclear power. Every President since Bill Clinton has tried to get the

North Koreans to stop their program, all to no avail. Instead we have witnessed North Korea

testing missiles in the Sea of Japan and read news reports claiming that a North Korean nuclear

missile could reach the California Coast of the United States; and

     WHEREAS, President Trump, in his unique style of diplomacy, has used the carrot-and-

stick approach, along with putting pressure on China, a critical ally of North Korea, in an attempt

to persuade the North Koreans that their best option is to negotiate a deal. There are early signs

that President Trump may have made a breakthrough with North Korea. In an historic first, the

leaders of North and South Korea have met at the DMZ, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un,

has met with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and there is serious speculation, and

great hope, that President Trump may soon meet with Kim Jong-un, which would be an historic

occasion of epic proportions. The hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula has never been greater

than it is today; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, on forging

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an alliance between North and South Korea; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of

the United States, Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of North Korea, and Mr. Moon Jae-in, President

of South Korea.

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LC005579

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