Speeches and Transcripts
Remarks at 231st Independence Day ReceptionAlexander Vershbow Habib House Defense Minister Kim, ambassadors, distinguished guests, friends, and colleagues, welcome to our Residence to help celebrate the 231st anniversary of the independence of the United States of America! For some of you, this may be your first Independence Day reception here in Seoul while for others this may be old hat. Whether you’re here for the first time or you’re a frequent visitor, Lisa and I are glad to have you here. Thank you for joining us today.
This year, both Korea and the United States are gearing up for Presidential election campaigns. Watching the elections is somewhat of a spectator sport in the United States, but there are usually only two teams to root for, whereas here, the competition seems to be a lot tougher! In the United States, people sometimes call our elections the “silly season,” but I think that the upcoming campaigns give us all an opportunity to celebrate the strong democratic traditions that now lie at the heart of the ROK-U.S. relationship. In that spirit, let me welcome the representatives from all the political parties – past, present, and future – that are with us this evening. Looking out at the crowd, I’m impressed by the number of dignitaries and community leaders that I see here, and I’d like to take the time to recognize some of our most distinguished guests:
The American Chamber of Commerce and our sponsors deserve special thanks and appreciation for donating the time and resources to bring this celebration of freedom and international friendship to life. A big thank you to our musicians, the 8th Army Jazz Combo and Ms. Meeryung Hall, and many thanks to the Embassy staff who labored to make this evening’s event a success. Thank you all. It’s a time-honored tradition for all overseas U.S. Ambassadors to convey the thoughts of the President of the United States in commemorating the anniversary of the independence of the United States. On Saturday, the President said: “On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the courage and convictions of America’s founders. We remember the spirit of liberty that led men from 13 different colonies to gather in Philadelphia and pen the Declaration of Independence. In that revolutionary document, they proclaimed our independence based on the belief that freedom was God’s gift to all mankind.” The President went on to say that, “Today, (in Afghanistan and Iraq), a new generation of Americans has stepped forward and volunteered to defend the ideals of our Nation’s founding.” In this regard, I am heartened to note that Republic of Korea forces are right there with them, assisting us, as they have done consistently throughout the 53 years since we formed the great ROK-U.S. Alliance. Since our last Independence Day in 2006, we have seen so much growth and progress in the ROK-U.S. relationship. Particularly significant is the success-ful negotiation of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, or KORUS FTA. As you probably know, the FTA was signed in Washington over the weekend, and that lends an especially festive note to our celebrations here today. The FTA will have a tremendous economic effect on our two countries – boosting bilateral trade and investment in both directions, increasing jobs and economic growth, and making our two countries more competitive here in the region and globally. But the impact of the KORUS FTA goes beyond that. The FTA shows how the United States and Korea are continuing to expand and modernize the relationship between our two nations in new ways. The next hurdle is ratification by the National Assembly and the U.S. Congress. We may have to convince some skeptics in both legislatures, but I’m confident that as people learn more about the FTA, they will see that it is a true win-win deal – not just for our economies, but for a strong and lasting U.S.-Korea alliance. Besides the FTA signing, Korea and the United States have been working closely, together with the other members of the Six-Party Talks, to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and programs. We are all encouraged by the recent signs of progress toward implementation of the February 13 agreement. Our defense alliance is stronger than ever, even as we carry out some of the most far-reaching changes in its history. Most significantly, our two govern-ments have agreed that wartime operational control will be transferred to South Korea as of April 2012, transforming the alliance into a true partnership of equals, while maintaining our combined ability to deter any threat. And I continue to marvel at the extraordinary range of ties between the Korean and American peoples, including record levels of Korean students studying in the United States – and record levels of visas issued by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. In this regard, I’m pleased that President Bush has once again expressed his strong support for Korea’s inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program. The year ahead holds many important prospects for our two countries: continued progress on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; ratification of the KORUS FTA, further steps to modernize our alliance, and – last but not least – the selection of PyeongChang as the site for the 2014 Winter Olympics. (My apologies to the representatives of Austria and Russia!) So let me offer a toast.... To our good friends here tonight, to the close bonds between the American and Korean people, and to the strong partnership between the United States and the Republic of Korea – may it long continue. Thank you. |