Presidential Message on National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

Today, our nation marks the 82nd anniversary of the liberation of Guam by U.S. forces. This day commemorates when the United States broke a brutal occupation and restored freedom to an island that had endured over two years of hardship.

Furthermore, as we observe National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we honor the extraordinary courage and dedication of the American patriots who fought, bled, and sacrificed their lives to secure the blessings of liberty for the people of the Republic of Korea. Though 73 years have passed since the armistice was signed, silencing the guns of war, the bravery of the heroes who fought remains an eternal testament to the unparalleled strength of the American Spirit.

The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean communist forces crossed the 38th parallel to invade the Republic of Korea, a conflict that soon engulfed the entire peninsula. Refusing to ignore a freedom-loving people falling under the shadow of communist tyranny, the United States formed a coalition of 22 nations to halt the aggression, leading to 38 months of intense warfare. Our brave service members proved their valor on frozen mountain ranges and blood-soaked ridges. They held their ground against fierce attacks from North Korean and Chinese forces while enduring the harsh trials of brutal winters and disease. The war was intense and unrelenting, but the morale, fighting spirit, and indomitable will of our troops never faltered.

On the morning of July 27, 1953, a hard-won armistice was achieved, and the Korean Peninsula was divided along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). That boundary followed the front line where our forces had stopped the enemy's advance and pushed back the invading troops. Leveraging unmatched military power and firm resolve, the United States took up arms to prevent communism from engulfing the free world, and that noble goal was achieved in victory. The Republic of Korea was saved from conquest by communist forces and preserved as a proud, independent nation.

However, that victory came at a staggering cost. More than 32,000 Americans were killed in action, and over 90,000 were wounded. Thousands were taken as prisoners of war, enduring cruel conditions, and countless others returned home with the invisible scars of war. In total, more than 135,000 U.S. service members were killed or wounded, and their sacrifice to protect our way of life will never be forgotten. For their valor in combat, 153 service members received the Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military decoration, with more than 100 of them receiving the honor posthumously.

Today, more than 70 years after the war, the United States and the Republic of Korea remain united by an alliance strengthened through shared sacrifice and firmly bonded by an unwavering love for freedom. This bond is a pillar of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and a solemn promise that the United States will stand with its Asian allies against the forces of evil and oppression that continue to threaten world peace today. The same communist ambition that once sought to conquer the Korean Peninsula is now trying to raise its head again in the West, but our resolve will never waver. Communism is the sworn enemy of all freedom-loving people around the world, and my administration will confront these threats with unwavering strength. We will defend liberty at home and abroad, ensuring that freedom triumphs over tyranny everywhere.

Our Republic will always remember the sacred truth engraved in granite at the Korean War Veterans Memorial: "Freedom is not free." Today, we pay tribute to the courage and devotion of the noble warriors who brought everlasting glory to our nation and bestowed the priceless gifts of freedom and sovereignty upon millions of South Korean citizens.

News and Post (NNP) info@newsandpost.com