President Moon: "North Korea hopes for joint cooperation in health sector... Japan strives for future-oriented relations"

President Moon Jae-in is delivering a March 1st Movement Day commemorative speech at Baehwa Girls' High School in Jongno-gu on the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] President Moon Jae-in said on the 1st, "We hope for joint cooperation with North Korea in the health sector," adding, "If the South and North respond together to the spread of infectious diseases among people and livestock, and jointly address disasters and climate change in the border areas of the Korean Peninsula, the lives of our people will become safer."

In his commemorative speech at the '101st Anniversary of the March 1st Movement Ceremony' held at Baehwa Girls' High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul, President Moon proposed, "We must strengthen cooperation not only with North Korea but also with neighboring China, Japan, and nearby Southeast Asian countries to respond to non-traditional security threats."

President Moon expressed concern, saying, "The world is now facing increasing non-traditional security threats such as disasters, climate change, the spread of infectious diseases, international terrorism, and cybercrime," and added, "These are problems that are difficult to solve by the capability of a single country alone." He emphasized the necessity of cooperation in the health sector, which requires neighboring countries to unite in response, citing last year's African Swine Fever (ASF) emergency in various countries and the current novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation.

He particularly stated, "Through the international spread of COVID-19, we have once again deeply felt the need for transboundary cooperation," and said, "When we comply with the 'September 19 Military Agreement' made two years ago and expand cooperation in various fields, peace on the Korean Peninsula can also be solidified."

Addressing Japan, with which conflicts have arisen over issues such as forced labor victims and export regulations against South Korea, President Moon said, "Japan has always been our closest neighbor," and added, "An Jung-geun resisted Japan's acts of aggression with force, but he clearly stated that his intention was not hostility toward Japan but to achieve peace in East Asia together. The spirit of the March 1st Independence Movement was the same."

President Moon urged, "We must face the past to overcome wounds and move toward the future," and said, "We will not forget the past, but we will not remain in it. We hope Japan will also adopt such an attitude."

He then extended his hand, saying, "Using history as a mirror and joining hands together is the path to peace and prosperity in East Asia," and urged, "Let us overcome crises together and work toward a future-oriented cooperative relationship."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.