RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, July 27, 2013 will mark the 60th anniversary of the cessation of the hostilities and the armistice of the Korean War; and
WHEREAS, the start of the United States' ground war experience in Korea is generally marked from President Truman's June 29, 1950 authorization for Gen. Douglas MacArthur to commit ground troops to blunt communist aggression from the north. Korean War ground actions went on to span three years, one month, and two days, officially ending with the signing of the cease-fire on July 27, 1953; and
WHEREAS, nearly 1.8 million members of the United States Armed forces served along with the forces of the Republic of Korea and 20 other Allied nations to defend freedom and democracy in the Korean Peninsula; and
WHEREAS, the Korean War Armistice was signed in Panmunjom at 9:01 p.m. (CST) and pursuant to the truce terms, hostilities in the 3-year old war were to have ceased twelve hours later; and
WHEREAS, the armistice was signed in a roadside hall built specially for the occasion, was attended by representatives of sixteen members of the United Nations and the respective delegations reportedly walked from the meeting place after an eleven minute meeting without a word or handshake between them; and
WHEREAS, the United States - Republic of Korea alliance was forged in blood during the Korean War, during which 33,379 American soldiers died in the line of battle and 103,284 were wounded while the Republic of Korea suffered casualties of more than 50,000 soldiers dead and 10,000 wounded; 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, the Republic of Korea has stood shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the United States in all 4 major engagements the United States has faced since World War II~the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, the Governments and people of the United States and the Republic of Korea work 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 the peoples 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 the nearly 2,000,000 Korean-Americans who reside in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act (Public Law 111-41) was enacted on July 27, 2009, and President Barack Obama issued a proclamation to designate the date as the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day and called upon Americans to display flags in memory of Korean War veterans; and
WHEREAS, the corporate authorities of the City of Chicago hereby recognize and appreciate the heroic sacrifices and accomplishments of all Korean War veterans; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-sixth day of June, 2013, do hereby declare July 27, 2013 to be THE 60 ANNIVERSARY OF THE KOREAN WAR ARMISTACE, and encourage Chicagoans to observe this commemoration; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council of the City of Chicago, do hereby encourage Governor Patrick Quinn to instruct all persons and entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act, 5 ILCS 465/1 et seq. to display the flags of the United States, the State of Illinois, and local jurisdictions at half-staff on July 27, 2013 in memory of Korean War veterans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Governor Patrick Quinn.
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