U.S. President Barack Obama issued a proclamation Thursday on remembering the meaning of the Korean War and to pay tribute to those who fought.
 
Obama made the announcement two days before a ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice.
 
The president said the anniversary not only marks the end of a war but also commemorates the beginning of a long and prosperous period of peace.
 
He said over the past six decades, South Korea has become one of the world's largest economies and one of America's closest allies. He added that South Korea and the U.S. built a partnership that remains a bedrock of stability throughout the Pacific. He said such legacy belongs to the service members who fought for freedom 60 years ago and the men and women who preserve it today.
 
The U.S. president said the U.S. remembers the troops who fought their way north through mountains and the bitter cold. He said he remembers those who showed extraordinary courage through 3 long years of war, fighting far from home to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.
 
He also declared Saturday as "Korean War Veterans Armistice Day” and urged all Americans to mark this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor Korean War veterans.
 
Obama has announced a proclamation on the anniversary of the Korean War armistice every year since he took office in 2009. On Saturday, he will become the first incumbent president to attend a ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice organized by the Defense Department in Washington.