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PRESS
RELEASE
 CONGRESSMAN
DAN BURTON URGES NEW EMPHASIS ON U.S.-KOREA ALLIANCE
(WASHINGTON,
JULY 13, 2005) In
an effort to reaffirm the strategic importance of the U.S.-Korea bilateral
relationship, U.S. Representative Dan Burton (R-Indiana), vice-chairman
of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the House International
Relations Committee, circulated a letter to his colleagues on Capitol
Hill this week, bringing their attention to an alliance that is sometimes
overlooked.
Entitled "America's Forgotten Alliance," Burton's letter
highlights the major policy contributions and achievements made by
South Korea as a result of the long alliance between it and the United
States, characterizing the relationship as "one of our most vital
and vibrant partnerships politically, militarily and economically."
He further stated that "South Korea remains one of America's
most important strategic partners in East Asia."
As a trading partner, Burton noted that South Korea ranks seventh
among the United States' largest export markets and fifth among markets
for U.S. agricultural products. Accordingly, he states that South
Korea would make "an excellent candidate for consideration of
U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations."
Burton
notes that, in the U.S.-led War on Terror, South Korea has committed
more than 3,270 troops to Iraq (the third largest contingent after
the United States and Great Britain) and $260 million towards the
reconstruction efforts. South Korea has also committed up to 600 troops
for operations in Afghanistan.
With respect to the question of human rights in North Korea, Burton
reports that South Korea has taken in almost 7,000 refugees from the
North, offering them immediate and full citizenship under its "firm
resettlement" policy. South Korea has also worked with the international
community to forge a multilateral effort at addressing food aid and
other humanitarian assistance initiatives to alleviate suffering in
the North.
Burton's letter is timed to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the
outbreak of the Korean War, recalling that "the Korean War is
often called the forgotten war but the courageous service and sacrifice
of our Korean War veterans is commemorated and honored every day by
the strong and enduring U.S.-South Korean partnership."
A copy of the text of Congressman Dan Burton's letter on U.S.-Korean
relations can be found at http://www.scribeus.com/pr_korea_050713.pdf.
SOURCE: Scribe Strategies and Advisors
CONTACT:
Thomas Kim, 202-393-4884
URL: http://www.scribeus.com
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