

U.S. President Donald Trump said South Korea and the United States remain "united" in a steadfast alliance as he released a message marking the 73rd anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said South Korea and the United States remain "united" in a steadfast alliance, calling their bond a "pillar of peace and stability" across the Indo-Pacific, as he released a message marking the 73rd anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice.
On its website on Monday, the White House posted the message honoring the sacrifices of American troops who fought alongside South Korean and U.N. forces to defend South Korea during the 1950-53 war, the first major armed conflict of the Cold War.
"More than seven decades after the war, the United States of America and the Republic of Korea remain united in a steadfast alliance, tested by shared sacrifice, and bound by an abiding love of freedom," Trump said in the message.
"That bond serves as a pillar of peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific, a solemn vow to our allies throughout Asia that we will stand with them against the forces of evil and oppression -- a threat to world peace that endures to this very day," he added.
Trump argued that the "same communist ambition that once sought to conquer the Korean Peninsula is trying to rear its ugly head once more -- this time in the West," stressing that "our resolve will never falter."
His remarks came as he has repeatedly expressed his aversion to communism ahead of the November midterm elections in what appears to be an effort to strengthen the Republican Party's conservative base and weaken Democratic contenders in the election race.
"Communism is the sworn enemy of free people everywhere, and my administration will confront this threat with unwavering strength, defending liberty at home or abroad and ensuring that freedom triumphs over tyranny in every corner of the world," he said.
Trump paid tribute to American troops who made sacrifices in the Korean War, saying their "extraordinary courage and devotion" secured the "blessings of liberty for the people of South Korea."
"Through its unmatched might and unbreakable resolve, America had taken up arms to halt the spread of communism before it could overrun the free world, and that noble purpose was fulfilled in triumph: South Korea was rescued from conquest and preserved as a proud, independent nation," he said.
He also pointed out a "staggering" cost of the war, saying that more than 32,000 Americans were killed in action, more than 90,000 were wounded and thousands suffered captivity as prisoners of war.
"Our Republic will always remember the sacred truth engraved in granite at the Korean War Veterans Memorial: 'Freedom is not Free,'" he said.
"Today, we salute the noble warfighters whose valor and devotion brought lasting glory to our Nation and delivered the priceless gifts of liberty and sovereignty to millions of South Koreans."
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