U.S. lawmakers, Korean American leaders and others gathered at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday for an annual event commemorating the signing of the Korean armistice and sacrifices made by Korean War veterans, delivering a solemn message: freedom is not free and should never be taken for granted. The 19th National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day commemoration event took place at the Cannon House Office Building to honor the veterans who fought alongside Korean troops to defend freedom during the 1950-53 conflict, and to call for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. The event began at around 6:25 p.m., symbolizing June 25, 1950, when the war broke out. A candlelight ceremony followed at 7:27 p.m., marking the date when the armistice was signed in 1953 to suspend the fighting in the war. Attending the event were Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL), Rep. Dave Min (D-CA), Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) and Moon In-seok, Korea's consul general in Washington. Kim underscored that hard-won freedom should not be taken for granted. "It is so important now, more than ever, that we still