Amid Challenges in Inter-Korean Relations... President Moon Reiterates "Efforts for a Declaration of the End of the War"

Korea Society Keynote Speech
"The ROK-US Alliance, Expanding Horizons as a 'Comprehensive Alliance'"

President Moon Jae-in is presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House on the morning of the 6th.

President Moon Jae-in said on the 8th, "A declaration of the end of the war is the true beginning of peace on the Korean Peninsula, and only permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula can truly repay the sacrifices and dedication of the veterans."

President Moon delivered a keynote speech at the Korea Society virtual annual dinner held in the United States that morning, saying, "I hope that the two countries will cooperate for a declaration of the end of the war on the Korean Peninsula and lead the active participation of the international community."

In his pre-recorded speech, President Moon said, "I recently appealed to the international community through my keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly that the war on the Korean Peninsula must be completely and permanently ended," and added, "I hope we can join forces so that the Korean Peninsula can overcome its history of division and move forward to an era of reconciliation and prosperity."

President Moon evaluated that over the past 67 years, the ROK-U.S. alliance has been reborn as a peace and security alliance that is the core axis of peace on the Korean Peninsula, has become a strong shield in achieving South Korea’s freedom, human rights, and dynamic democracy, and has developed into a genuine economic alliance.

He also introduced, "Korea is preparing for the post-COVID era centered on digital and green sectors based on cooperation with the United States and the international community," and said, "The two countries will respond together and overcome the global economic crisis caused by COVID-19."

In particular, President Moon emphasized, "The strength supporting the ROK-U.S. alliance is the strong bond and shared cultural values between the peoples of the two countries," highlighting that the 2.5 million Korean Americans and 50,000 students studying in both countries are the most important assets in promoting ROK-U.S. friendship. He continued, "The fact that Korean culture has entered the Academy Awards and the Billboard charts is also the result of the long-standing shared cultural values between the two countries."

Furthermore, President Moon introduced that during the response to COVID-19, close cooperation between Korea and the U.S. was maintained through the provision of diagnostic kits and masks to the U.S., as well as keeping borders open between the two countries. He evaluated that the ROK-U.S. alliance is expanding its horizon as a "comprehensive alliance" that cooperates on global issues beyond the regional level and responds together to transnational crises.

The Korea Society is a non-profit organization established in 1957 to promote exchanges in political, economic, cultural, and artistic fields between Korea and the U.S., and has been conducting projects to strengthen ties and mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. Former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens serves as the chairperson, and this dinner was an annual event inviting people who have contributed to the development of ROK-U.S. relations.

Meanwhile, President Moon reignited the call for a declaration of the end of the war and fired the starting signal for the reactivation of the Korean Peninsula peace process through his speech at the UN General Assembly last September. However, inter-Korean relations remain tense due to incidents such as the South Korean civilian shooting in the West Sea and the defection of former North Korean charg? d'affaires to Italy, Jo Song-gil, to South Korea.

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