Congratulatory Remarks
by
H.E. Cho Tae-yul
Vice Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea
at the 11th Korea-US Friendship Night

November 5, 2013

President Han Sung-joo,
Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo,
Ambassador Sung Kim,
General Curtis Scaparotti,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed a great honor and privilege for me to address such a distinguished audience as is present here tonight. Thank you for inviting me to this wonderful evening of celebration! Tonight’s event is special not only because we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Korean-American Association, but also because this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, the beginning of a new life cycle in Confucian thinking.

As the U.S. has always been at the heart of the issues I have dealt with during my diplomatic career of over three decades, this event is special for me personally as well. I find it even more special because I worked for President Han and Prime Minister Lee as their assistant and counselor while they served as Korea’s Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the U.S. back in the early 1990s and 2000s respectively.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Korea-U.S. alliance started out sixty years ago to defend our shared values of freedom and democracy against the threat of communism in the early days of the Cold War. But even after the Cold War ended, our alliance has not weakened; rather, it boasts one of the strongest alliances in history.

The joint declaration of our two leaders commemorating the 60th anniversary of the alliance, which was issued during President Park’s visit to the U.S. last May, symbolizes this enduring and ever-strengthening alliance. Our alliance has grown to become “the linchpin” of peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, but in the Asia Pacific region as a whole. With the conclusion of KORUS FTA that came into effect last year, the alliance has developed to a higher level of maturity that is labeled a “comprehensive strategic alliance.” In the joint declaration, our two leaders also affirmed that the Korea-U.S. alliance has evolved into a “global partnership” that jointly responds to the challenges of humanity, such as climate change, energy security, development cooperation, cyber security, anti-terrorism and non-proliferation.

The remarkable growth of our treasured alliance can be attributed not only to its strategic value, but also to the aspiration and confidence held by many Americans for the future of Korea. It was confirmed in President Truman’s speech to the U.S. Congress in 1949 soon after the birth of the Republic of Korea. In the speech, he urged for continued economic assistance to Korea, stating that Korea has become the testing ground for democracy, and that the survival of Korea to become a self-supporting, stable economy will have a far-reaching impact on the people of Asia.

Korea has lived up to this expectation. In a period of six decades, Korea has emerged to become a full-fledged democracy and an industrial powerhouse in East Asia providing a role model for many developing countries around the world for economic development. We did not succumb to the agonies of war and poverty, nor did we shy away from the painful process of democratization and economic reforms. As a result, in 2010, Korea became the first recipient-turned-donor country in the world and is now playing a constructive role befitting the country of its stature in eradicating global poverty. The U.S. has always stood by Korea as the strongest supporter and closest partner in all our achievements.

Of course, the Korea-U.S. alliance is at times tested by other factors, such as domestic politics, the inter-Korean relations, and the relations between the U.S. and North Korea. As a consequence, it has encountered a range of challenges throughout the years.

But, amid such challenges, there have always been those who understand the great importance of the alliance and work tirelessly to advance our partnership. They include our political leaders, diplomats, academics, business people, as well as men and women in uniform.

Congressman John Murphy, who will be presented with the Korea-U.S. Alliance Special Award tonight, is one of those who will be long remembered in the history of our alliance. He started serving in the Korean War only two weeks after graduating from West Point in 1950, and made great contributions to protecting Korea from the threats to freedom and democracy. My profound gratitude and warm congratulations to you, Congressman Murphy, for your great contribution!

In a ceremony to honor the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice held in Washington last July, President Obama mentioned that Korea’s dynamic economy and vibrant democracy are the results of the victory of the Korean War, and reminded us that the Korean War should not be forgotten but remembered forever.

“The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage”. This is what historian Thucydides said in his book titled ‘The History of the Peloponnesian War’. Korea’s freedom and happiness today owes greatly to the courage of brave veterans such as Congressman Murphy. We will never forget the blood and sweat they shed which led the war to victory.

Distinguished Guests,

As President Kennedy said, “conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” We should not be complacent about the achievements we have made during the last six decades. We should continue to work together to transform our alliance into a truly global partnership that shapes the future of Asia together and contributes to effectively addressing the ever-growing challenges of humanity. All of you present here tonight are living witnesses of our sixty-year-old alliance and will remain invaluable assets for our joint efforts to further develop our alliance into a more mature, broad-based and future-oriented partnership firmly grounded in trust.

Tonight’s gathering is indeed a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the future of the Korea-U.S. alliance, while reminiscing on the memories of friendship between our two countries in the last sixty years. I am delighted to be in your company at this memorable event. Thank you very much. /End/