WHEREAS, the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea was signed on October 1, 1953; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea (U.S.-ROK (U.S.-R.O.K. alliance) marks 70 years since the cessation of hostilities in the Korean war, War, the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953, which remains in place today, and that the terms of the agreement have neither formally ended the Korean war, War, nor constituted a permanent settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula; and

WHEREAS, The year 2023 also marks 120 years since the first immigration of Koreans to the United States, who later came to America through San Francisco, California; and

WHEREAS, The U.S.-ROK U.S.-R.O.K. alliance is rooted in mutual trust, shared sacrifice, common values, economic interests, and generations of people-to-people ties that provide a foundation for one of the strongest, most robust, and successful alliances in the world; and

WHEREAS, The U.S.-ROK U.S.-R.O.K. alliance was forged in shared sacrifice, with 1,789,000 United States soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines serving during the Korean war, War, of whom over 36,000 paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in defense of the Republic of Korea, including over 7,000 Korean Augmentation to the United States Army soldiers, and over 7,500 members of the United States Armed Forces remain classified by the United States Department of Defense as missing in action; and

WHEREAS, Since its founding, the Republic of Korea has become a thriving democracy with a vibrant press and commitment to the rule of law and a free market economy; and

WHEREAS, The Republic of Korea is the sixth largest trading partner of the United States with over $160,000,000,000 in total trade goods and over $30,000,000,000 in total trade services, for more than $194,400,000,000 combined trade during 2021; and

WHEREAS, The Republic of Korea is one of the top sources of foreign direct investment for both the United States and California, with Korean companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and SK hynix creating over 13,000 jobs in California in 2021; and

WHEREAS, The trade volume between the Republic of Korea and California amounted to well over $40,000,000,000 in 2022. California exported over $11,000,000,000 to the Republic of Korea, which makes the Republic of Korea the fourth largest export destination of California trade; and

WHEREAS, In addition to its longstanding relationship with the United States as a whole, the Republic of Korea has a strong connection to California in particular. California is home to over 800,000 Koreans and Korean Americans that have made significant contributions to every facet of American society and its leadership, including State Senator Dave Min, members of the House of Representatives, Young Kim, and Michelle Steel of California; leadership; and

WHEREAS, The Cities of San Francisco, California and Seoul, Republic of Korea have been sister cities since 1975, acknowledging the ties between California and the Republic of Korea and encouraging cultural and economic exchanges; and

WHEREAS, California is a host city state of the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Creating Economic Opportunity Summit in November 2023, where the Republic of Korea will participate; now, therefore therefore, be it