Trump says Korea, U.S. remain 'united' in Korean War armistice anniversary message
In the message, U.S. President Donald Trump also warned that the "same communist ambition that once sought to conquer the Korean Peninsula is trying to rear its ugly head once more" in the West.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at an event at the General Motors proving grounds in Milford, Michigan, on July 27.AP/YONHAP
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Korea and the United States remain “united” in a steadfast alliance and called their bond a “pillar of peace and stability” across the Indo-Pacific as he released a message marking the 73rd anniversary of the signing of the 1950-53 Korean War Armistice Agreement.
On its website on Monday, the White House posted a message honoring the sacrifices of U.S. troops who fought alongside Korean and United Nations forces to defend Korea during the war, the first major armed conflict of the Cold War.
“More than seven decades after the war, the United States of America and the Republic of Korea remain united in a steadfast alliance, tested by shared sacrifice and bound by an abiding love of freedom,” Trump said in the message, referring to Korea by its official name.
“That bond serves as a pillar of peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific, a solemn vow to our allies throughout Asia that we will stand with them against the forces of evil and oppression — a threat to world peace that endures to this very day.”
Trump argued that the “same communist ambition that once sought to conquer the Korean Peninsula is trying to rear its ugly head once more — this time in the West,” but that the United States’ “resolve will never falter.”
His remarks came as he has repeatedly expressed his aversion to communism ahead of the November midterm elections in what appears to be an effort to strengthen the Republican Party’s conservative base and weaken Democratic contenders in the election race.
“Communism is the sworn enemy of free people everywhere, and my administration will confront this threat with unwavering strength, defending liberty at home or abroad and ensuring that freedom triumphs over tyranny in every corner of the world,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on July 21REUTERS/YONHAP
Trump also paid tribute to U.S. troops who made sacrifices in the Korean War, lauding their “extraordinary courage and devotion” that secured the “blessings of liberty for the people of Korea.”
“Through its unmatched might and unbreakable resolve, America had taken up arms to halt the spread of communism before it could overrun the free world, and that noble purpose was fulfilled in triumph: Korea was rescued from conquest and preserved as a proud, independent nation,” he said.
He then noted the “staggering” cost of the war. More than 32,000 Americans were killed in action, more than 90,000 were wounded and thousands suffered captivity as prisoners of war, according to the U.S. president.
“Our republic will always remember the sacred truth engraved in granite at the Korean War Veterans Memorial: ‘Freedom is not Free,’” he said.
“Today, we salute the noble warfighters whose valor and devotion brought lasting glory to our nation and delivered the priceless gifts of liberty and sovereignty to millions of Koreans.”
