WASHINGTON -- Members of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives are pushing for a concurrent resolution on Korean reunification on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the signing of an armistice agreement that ended the Korean War.

   Sen. Timothy Kaine (D-VA) proposed the bill earlier this week, titled, "A concurrent resolution encouraging peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula," according to the Library of Congress.

   It says Congress "recognizes the historical importance of the Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950 and honors the noble service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces and the armed forces of allied countries that have served in Korea since 1950."

   According to the U.S. government, 36,573 American troops were killed, with 103,284 others wounded.

   The conflict came to a halt with an armistice on July 27, 1953.

   The proposed resolution also calls on North Korea to cease its nuclear weapons program and resume talks that could eventually lead to peace and reunification.

   It has been co-sponsored by 10 other senators -- Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Max Baucus (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV,) Jon Tester (D-MT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

   In June, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), a Korean War veteran, submitted a similar resolution, co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 39 House members.

   "Such a concurrent bill is of much significance in that it represents a commitment by the entire U.S. Congress, not just by the Senate, dominated by the Democratic Party, or the Republican-controlled House," a parliamentary source said.

(Yonhap News)