Whereas, on October 31, 2018, the United States and the Republic of Korea (also known as ROK ) co-hosted the 50th annual Republic of Korea-United States Security Consultative Meeting (commonly known and referred to in this preamble as the SCM ); Whereas the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States dates back to the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953, in which the United States committed to defending its ally from outside aggression; Whereas the United States currently stations 28,500 troops on the Korean Peninsula as part of the obligation of the United States to defend the Republic of Korea; Whereas the SCM supports broader diplomatic engagements between the 2 allies that span a broad array of issues important to the people of the Republic of Korea and to the people of the United States; Whereas the SCM has been crucial to the continued economic prosperity of the Republic of Korea and to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula; Whereas the SCM has reinforced the critical alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States and deepens the friendship between the 2 countries; Whereas the 50th anniversary of the SCM signifies an enduring alliance based on the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; Whereas the SCM uses the Joint Vision for ROK-U.S. Alliance and the Guidelines for ROK-U.S. Defense Cooperation to enhance the alliance beyond one of military cooperation to one of mutual trust; Whereas the SCM has been crucial in facilitating independent operational capabilities of the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, allowing those forces to expand their defense capabilities and assume operational control of the combined forces under the current armistice; Whereas the SCM is key to strengthening bilateral cooperation in responding to global security challenges and threats, including terrorism, piracy, natural disasters, peacekeeping operations, and stabilization and reconstruction