S. Korea's parliamentary committee welcomes U.S. House resolution honoring Korean War veterans

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's parliamentary foreign affairs committee on Tuesday adopted a statement welcoming a recently introduced bipartisan U.S. House resolution honoring the sacrifice of Korean War veterans. The resolution, introduced late last month, recognizes the importance of the contributions and sacrifices made by the veterans of the Korean War and those who have served on the Korean Peninsula since the signing of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 war. "We sincerely welcome the U.S. House of Representatives' bipartisan introduction of the resolution honoring the courage and sacrifice of the Korean War veterans and Korean defense veterans," Rep. Song Seog-jun of the main opposition People Power Party said during a meeting of the foreign affairs and unification committee at the National Assembly. "When freedom and democracy were under threat, service members from the United States and other United Nations member states that participated in the war fought alongside South Korea, and their sacrifices made South Korea what it is today," he added. Song emphasized that Seoul will forever honor the sacrifices of the veterans and pass on their legacy to future generations while continuing to promote peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. Reps. Lois Frankel (D-FL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) introduced the resolution as South Korea and the U.S. marked the 73rd anniversary of the signing of the armistice on July 27.