U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday called on Americans to honor Korean War veterans on the occasion of the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean conflict.
Proclaiming July 27, 2010, as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day in a statement, Obama said, "I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor and give thanks to our distinguished Korean War veterans."
The armistice, signed 57 years ago Tuesday, ended the gunfire, but left South and North Korea in a technical state of war, not having signed a peace treaty.
Tensions are high on the Korean Peninsula this week with South Korea and the U.S. engaged in a four-day joint naval exercise in the East Sea from
Sunday to show joint deterrence after North Korea's torpedoing of the South Korean warship Cheonan in the Yellow Sea in March, killing 46 sailors.
North Korea denies involvement and threatened to respond with "nuclear deterrence" as China urged involved parties to "turn the page" on the
Cheonan sinking and revive the stalled six-party nuclear talks. The North abandoned the talks after U.N. sanctions were imposed on the communist country for its nuclear and missile tests early last year.
As many as 54,246 American soldiers were killed and 8,176 were captured or went missing in the Korean War, when the U.S. fought for South Korea against North Korea and its communist ally, China.
"Our alliance is rooted in shared sacrifice, common values, mutual interest and respect, and this partnership is vital to peace and stability in Asia and the world," Obama said.
"Tens of thousands of our nation's service members lost their lives, and many more were wounded, declared missing in action or taken as prisoners of war,"he said. "The courageous service and ultimate sacrifices of these patriots
and our allied combatants safeguarded a free government and vibrant economy in South Korea, forging a bond between our people that stands strong today."
Obama last July signed the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act, proposed by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), a Korean War veteran, to designate July 27 as a national day to hoist the American flag at half mast in memory of the U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War.