President Moon: "We Must End the Sad War... Hope North Korea Will Boldly Step Forward" (Update)

70th Anniversary of the June 25 War Commemoration Ceremony... Repatriation of 147 Remains of Fallen Soldiers

President Moon Jae-in is delivering a commemorative speech at the 70th anniversary event of the Korean War held at Seoul Airport on the 25th. 2020.6.25 [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sunhee] President Moon Jae-in said on the 25th, "For the parent generation who experienced war and the future generations who will open a new 70 years, a 'peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula' is an obligation that must be fulfilled and the heartfelt wish of all 80 million Koreans," adding, "I hope North Korea will boldly join efforts to end the most tragic war in world history."

President Moon attended the '70th Anniversary of the Korean War' event held at the Seoul Airport hangar in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, in the afternoon, saying, "I pray that the tragedy of war experienced by the South, the North, and all Koreans will be passed down as a shared memory to future generations and become a force to open peace." He continued, "To talk about unification, peace must be achieved first, and only after peace lasts for a long time can we see the door to unification," adding, "When reconciliation and peace between the South and the North are conveyed to the world as hope, I believe it will truly repay the noble sacrifices of the patriotic spirits."

In particular, President Moon said, "The system competition between the South and the North ended long ago," and "We have no intention of imposing our system on North Korea." However, he added, "We pursue peace and want to live well together. We will constantly find ways for mutual prosperity between the South and the North through peace," emphasizing, "Before talking about unification, I hope we become good neighbors first."

This appears to be a remark aimed at recent North Korean actions that heightened tensions between the South and the North, such as unilaterally cutting off communication lines with the South and the sudden demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, which was a symbol of the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration.

President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook are saluting the national flag at the 70th anniversary event of the Korean War held at Seoul Airport on the 25th. June 25, 2020 [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Moon said, "Our military has the power to repel any threat," stressing, "We are thoroughly prepared, and we will never again allow even an inch of our territory, territorial waters, or airspace to be violated."

While repeatedly emphasizing, "We want peace," President Moon said, "However, if anyone threatens the safety and lives of our people, we will respond decisively." He continued, "We possess strong defense capabilities that will not tolerate any provocations on all fronts." Furthermore, he added, "We are also preparing flawlessly for the transfer of wartime operational control based on a strong ROK-U.S. alliance," and said, "We will definitely protect and create peace based on our own strength."

This was President Moon's first time attending a Korean War commemoration ceremony. He said, "We still cannot truly commemorate the Korean War because the war has not yet ended." He warned, "Even at this moment, the threat of war continues, and we are fighting not only visible threats but also invisible internal conflicts."

President Moon stressed, "One common sentiment among all is that there must never be war on this land again," and urged, "We must end this long-standing war to make the Korean War a historical experience that unites generations and ideologies." He added, "Not forgetting the horrors of war is the first step toward 'ending the war.'"

The event, held under the theme "To the Heroes" and hosted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, took place as 147 remains of fallen soldiers from the Korean military were returned from the United States. President Moon called out the names of seven identified fallen soldiers one by one, saying, "Although delayed, the homeland has never forgotten you for a single moment," and expressed deep respect and condolences to the bereaved families who have endured longing and sorrow with pride, as well as paying tribute to surviving veterans who have anxiously awaited their comrades. He also pledged, "The government will remember the patriotic heroes forever with the people," and vowed, "We will not give up and will continue to search until the day the 123,000 fallen soldiers who have not yet returned to us come back to their families."

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