U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday congratulated South Korea on marking the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule, reaffirming the two nations' "ironclad" alliance. In a statement, Blinken said, "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to the Republic of Korea on this joyous and celebratory National Day," referring to South Korea by its official name. "We commemorate our two great countries' enduring friendship and the founding of your republic, which has grown into a beacon of democracy and enabled prosperity for millions of people," Blinken said. "Seventy-one years later, the United States remains firmly committed to our ironclad Alliance with the Republic of Korea. Together, we will continue to work side-by-side, upholding our shared values of international peace and stability, human rights, and individual liberties." Source: Yonhap News Agency