US ambassador says Korea-US alliance 'linchpin' of peace on Korean Peninsula
U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel gives an opening speech at the Republic of Korea-U.S. Alliance Veterans Conference in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel on Friday highlighted the Korea-U.S. alliance as the "linchpin" of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.
Steel made the remarks at a forum in Seoul, noting the bilateral alliance was forged over 70 years ago with blood and sacrifices made in the 1950-53 Korean War.
"For more than 70 years, the U.S.-ROK alliance has been the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific," Steel said in her opening address, referring to Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
"Our mutual defense treaty is an unbreakable bond," she added. "But our alliance is more than an agreement between governments. It is also a human story. It is our story."
Steel stressed that Seoul and Washington share "one story" forged in war and secured by American and Korean soldiers who stood "shoulder to shoulder" to defend freedom during the Korean War.
Highlighting that Korea has now become a "global leader" in a number of areas, including technology, culture, manufacturing and democracy, Steel said such an achievement was first and foremost attributable to the people of Korea, but also to the service members of the U.S. and Korean armed forces.
"To our active-duty service members from U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the ROK armed forces, thank you for answering the call," she said. "You are the living expression of our ironclad alliance."
The annual forum, hosted by the U.S. Alliance Foundation and Korea Defense Veterans Association, was held under the theme, "The sacrifice of the U.S. Forces Korea after the armistice agreement, and the Korea-U.S. alliance."
It was attended by Vice Veterans Minister Kang Yun-jin and former USFK commanders, including Paul LaCamera, Burwell Bell and Robert Abrams, as well as veterans of the Korean War.