SJR 6-HONORING THE ALASKA-KOREA RELATIONSHIP  3:50:14 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 6 Honoring the Alaska-Korea relationship; and celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea, the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, and the 120th anniversary of the first Korean immigration to the United States. 3:50:38 PM SENATOR LKI GALE TOBIN, District I, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SJR 6, stated that during the 32nd legislature, her predecessor and former Representative Tarr worked on a bill to rename a bridge in the Mountain View neighborhood of Anchorage after a Korean American constituent. The idea of honoring the Alaska-Korea relationship developed from that work. CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited a motion to adopt the draft committee substitute for SJR 6. 3:51:44 PM SENATOR MERRICK moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for SJR 6, work order 33-LS0284\U, as the working document. CHAIR KAWASAKI objected for purposes of discussion. 3:52:08 PM MICHAEL MASON, Staff, Senator Lki Gale Tobin, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained that the CS corrects the tourism numbers on page 2, lines 14-15. The correct tourism numbers are 2 million and 1 million respectively. MR. MASON also added clarity to the last WHERAS on page 2. The first Korea-Alaska Friendship Day was declared on June 20 2008 by then Governor Palin. Because the day is a yearly proclamation, not a set holiday, the date moves to reflect the days of the week, and last year that was June 25. The sponsor decided to honor the date of the first Korea-Alaska Friendship resolution. 3:53:10 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI removed his objection; finding no further objection, version U was adopted. 3:53:26 PM SENATOR TOBIN read the sponsor statement for SJR 6: In 1954, the Korean Armistice Agreement to end hostilities on the Korean Peninsula was signed by the United States of America and the Republic of Korea. Since that time the two countries have developed strong economic and cultural relationships. Senate Joint Resolution 6 recognizes the ongoing "Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance" between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea, which has greatly benefited Alaska through billions of dollars' worth of trade and tourism. Currently, the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is a growing hub for air cargo to and from the Republic of Korea, and every year thousands of Korean tourists visit Alaska. Anchorage and Incheon, South Korea have been sister cities since 1986, and thousands of Korean American call Alaska home. Alaska is incredibly fortunate to have a close relationship with the Republic of Korea. 2023 is the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement and the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea. 2023 is also the 120th anniversary of the first immigration of Koreans to the United States. In the 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the United States, the two countries have developed strong and lasting ties that should be celebrated. In a time of rising tensions and global strife, it is important to acknowledge the friends and allies of the United States and Alaska. Senate Joint Resolution 6 seeks to honor and celebrate the friendly and beneficial relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea, and the unique role Alaska has in that relationship. CHAIR KAWASAKI turned to invited testimony. 3:56:04 PM SEUNG MAN SANG, Consul and Head of the Consulate, Republic of Korea, Anchorage, Alaska, provided invited testimony in support of SJR 6. He spoke from the following prepared testimony: Dear Honorable Alaska Legislature Members, I write to you in support of Senate Joint Resolution No. 6: Honoring the Alaska-Korea relationship; and celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of Korea, the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, and the 120th anniversary of the first Korean immigration to the United States. The United States and the Republic of Korea enjoy one of the closest relationships in the world. We are friends, allies, and partners. Our longstanding relations began 141 years ago with the Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation in 1882, when Korea was a dynasty called Joseon. About 70 years later, the ROK and the US became allies with the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty in October 1953. The ROK-US alliance was founded on the spirit of comrades-in-arms forged in blood during the Korean War. We fought together for freedom and democracy in the Korean War, which broke out with North Korea's invasion in June 1950, and ended three years later with the Ceasefire Agreement in July 1953. Approximately 1.8 million US troops were engaged in the Korean War, with over 36,000 of them dying during the conflict, while 2,500 or more Alaska troops served in the war, with 1O of them falling. Today, about 28,500 US troops are stationed in Korea. The ROK-US alliance has become, not only the foundation of Korea's defense and security, but also the cornerstone of its rapid economic growth and stable democracy. We, the ROK and the US, have successfully stood the test of time for the past seven decades. We have overcome numerous threats and provocations, including nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, from the North, and have successfully maintained peace on the Korean Peninsula based on our ironclad alliance cooperation. Economic relations between our two countries have been upgraded by the ROK-US Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in March 2012 and celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. The bilateral FTA has served as a vehicle to promote ROK-US economic ties. Bilateral trade for the past decade has expanded 67.8 percent to about $169,100,000,000 in 2021 from $1O1,800,000,000 in 2012. The mutual investment between the ROK and the US more than doubled during the same period. In particular, Korea's investment in the US has increased significantly, mainly in the semiconductor, battery, and automobile sectors. That has brought about the employment effect of 90,000 jobs in the US and strengthened bilateral supply chain cooperation. In 2019, about 2,300,000 Korean tourists visited the United States, and more than 1,000,000 American tourists visited the Republic of Korea, contributing considerably to the economies of each country. Covid-19 resulted in a sharp diminution in mutual visits in 2020 and 2021, but a rapid recovery is underway since the pandemic curve began to flatten last year. Of course, the relationship of the ROK and the great state of Alaska has made great progress in the economy, people-to-people exchanges, military cooperation, and local government exchanges in lockstep with the development of ROK-US relations. Since 2018, the Republic of Korea has been Alaska's largest trading partner, with a volume of $2,300,000,000 in 2021. The major trade items between Korea and Alaska are minerals & ores, fish & other marine products, petroleum & coal products, and computer & electronic products. Some Korean companies have been contributing to Alaska's economy and employment. Korean Air and Asiana Airlines have been operating as major air cargo carriers at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, which is the world's 4th busiest airport for cargo throughput. Since the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the importance of air cargo has increased, and the role of Korean air cargo carriers has also been growing. 4:01:00 PM Each year, the ROK Air Force participates in Exercise Red Flag-Alaska, a joint aerial combat training exercise held by the US Air Force. Last year, two Korean Navy ships arrived in Anchorage for the first time in history as part of the ROK Navy Cruise Training. Alaska's strategic location and ROK-US common interests on the Korean Peninsula and in the region will make our bilateral military cooperation more expanded and stronger in the future. Local governments in both countries acknowledge the strong ties between the ROK and Alaska and promote cultural and economic exchanges through establishing a sisterhood relationship: Incheon, a Korean metropolitan city, and Anchorage, Alaska's most populous city, signed in 1986. Assemblies between Incheon and Anchorage have also had a sisterhood relationship since 1993. 7,000 Koreans and Korean Americans live in Alaska, enriching Alaska's history and culture. They also serve at various comers of Alaska as military personnel, police officers, fire fighters, nurses and doctors, teachers, business owners, public servants, etc., contributing their talents to Alaska's safety, diversity, and unity. A shining example was Ms. Emma Broyles, a Korean American, who became Alaska's first Miss America last year and made Alaska's name widely known. Since 2008, the state of Alaska has celebrated Korea-Alaska Friendship Day on June 20. The Anchorage Korean community, in collaboration with the Korean Consulate in Anchorage, holds the Korea-Alaska Friendship Festival each year, acknowledging the longstanding ties, economic and cultural exchanges, and friendship between the Republic of Korea and the state of Alaska. The ROK and the US have been developing a steadfast partnership, anchored in shared values and interests, as friends, allies, and partners. As agreed at the ROK-US summit in May 2022, our two countries are collaborating to achieve our shared goal of transforming the bilateral alliance into a global comprehensive strategic alliance, capable of addressing the most pressing regional and global challenges. Korean Americans, since their first immigration to the US 120 years ago, have become an integral part of America and also of Alaska, enriching the lives of both US and Alaska. All things considered, I have the honor hereby to urge you to support this resolution honoring the Alaska- Korea relationship. 4:02:57 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI thanked Consul Sang for his testimony. 4:03:24 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI asked the sponsor if she had anything to add. 4:03:34 PM SENATOR TBIN thanked the committee for considering the resolution and urged swift passage. SENATOR CLAMAN joined the committee. 4:03:52 PM CHAIR KAWASAKI held SJR 6 in committee.