Michael DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, delivers congratulatory remarks at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. on the 27th (local time) to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. [Joint Press Corps, Washington] 

Michael DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, emphasized the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance on the 27th (local time), the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, stating that the armistice marked the beginning of the alliance.

Attending the 73rd anniversary ceremony held at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. that morning, Assistant Secretary DeSombre said, "July 27, 1953 (when the armistice was signed), was not only a sign of the end of hostilities, but also the birth of an enduring (ROK-U.S.) alliance forged through shared sacrifice."

"Our two nations fought together against communism and defended democracy and freedom on the Korean Peninsula," DeSombre said, stressing that the sacrifices made by U.S. and Korean troops during the Korean War serve as a reminder that freedom is not free.

He added, "Our mission today is to ensure that we are prepared to stand side-by-side should the need to fight arise again, and to continue to defend prosperity, security, and peace."

Noting that his wife's family is from Incheon, Assistant Secretary DeSombre became emotional, saying, "Had it not been for the sacrifices we made together to defend a free Korea, I would not have met my wife." DeSombre's wife is of Korean descent.

John Tilelli, Chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation and former Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, who hosted the event, said, "There are still some who question the ROK-U.S. relationship," adding, "I ask for one thing: that we honor the sacrifices of those who gave their lives (in the Korean War) and never treat this as a 'forgotten war.'"

Representing the South Korean Embassy in the U.S., Defense Attache Brigadier General Yoon Hyung-jin attended the ceremony. He emphasized, "The ROK-U.S. alliance, built through the trials of battle, is stronger than ever," describing it as "not merely a strategic partnership, but an unbreakable brotherhood forged in blood and shared values."

South Korean Embassy Defense Attache, Brigadier General Yoon Hyung-jin [Washington=Yonhap News]