"The deployment to South Korea cannot be viewed the same as deployments to Europe or the Far East after the hostilities ended in those theaters.  The hostilities in Europe and the Pacific ended in unconditional surrender by enemy forces.  The troops remained as occupation forces which gradually came to an end.  The continued deployment after occupation was the result of strategic placement to ensure peace and protection to countries allied against the former Soviet Union.  They were a Cold War force.  "The Cold War is Over!"  "The Cold War is Over but Korea deployment remains!"  Why is Korea different!!!  U.S. troops in defense of the Korean Peninsula were never just a Cold War force.  Their fate was to "Stand the Line" as a containment force maintaining a "Hot War" cease-fire during Cold War times.  These troops remain in a country which has never had the benefit of unconditional, or conditional, surrender by the aggressor force.  The accord of July 27, 1953 was an "Armistice".  By definition, an armistice is a "temporary" suspension of hostilities by agreement. They (R.O.K., UN, U.S.) have only agreed to a "cease-fire", a truce in hostilities, to allow talks and negotiation regarding a real end to hostilities, and to possible reunification.  Today, the Koreas are still technically at war and by extension so is the U.S.!  The United States is one of the belligerents in this war and is a signatory to the Armistice which negates any neutral peacekeeping activity.  They operate as a containment and defense force.  It is evident that this is a different situation than the others!  "After a failure in Geneva in 1954 to settle the issues, the Eighth Army forces remained to help man the "cease-fire" line, alert for any new breach of the "de facto" peace."  The breaches by North Korea of the cease-fire agreement  have been huge in numbers bringing fear, death, wounds and destruction to U.S. troops and supplies.  There is no evidence this will change.  Imminent danger persists for troops stationed in defense of R.O.K, especially in the western sector.  For much too long, the government, and the people, have considered the Korean War, that  "FORGOTTEN WAR", as over.  It is NOT OVER and NOT FORGOTTEN!

"Lt. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, Eighth Army Command, told troops after the "Armistice Agreement" was signed on July 27, 1953, the armistice did not mean that the war was over; it was a "suspension of hostilities – an interruption of the shooting."

Not too long ago three American servicemen were taken prisoner by Serbian nationals. They were on a routine patrol in a country outside the hostile borders of Serbia/Kosovo. They received six (6) medals without ever putting up a fight.  We see no difference between a patrol along the Korean DMZ (which proved to be very hostile) and a patrol in Macedonia; yet, soldiers stationed along the DMZ in Korea received no medals, ribbons, or other award for their service as other deployments did.  Thankfully Congress has made right this situation by awarding the Korea Defense Service Medal after a grassroots campaign led by the Korea Defense Veterans of America begun in 1999.  The Korea tour is still considered a hardship tour.   Every soldier, sailor, airmen, or marine deployed to South Korea as a permanent duty station, or on TDY, is in harms way.  There have been many hostile and aggressive acts against U.S. Troops by the North Korean military during the cease-fire.  Many others occurred at border points manned by South Korean troops.  The more than 1,500 U.S. Armed Forces members killed as a result of their service (not counting fratricide and illnesses) in South Korea since the cease-fire never received 6 medals.  The 87 U.S. Armed Forces members captured and held POW by North Korea (some for a year) never received 6 medals!  

Today, this number of incidents has reached more than 40,479.  The CIA, as noted in the VFW Magazine, dated April 1999, states that North Korea is a threat.  North Korea is considered a Rogue and/or Terrorist nation by most countries.  This is not new information. The threat may currently be even greater because of advanced missile capabilities that have nuclear, chemical and biological capabilities.  Most important is...the threat has always been there!  U.S. Troops deployed in defense of the R.O.K. deserve a long overdue UN and ROK Medal ...THEY EARNED IT!!!