Yoo Seung-min: "Instead of West Sea Defense Day, let's commemorate the Cheonan sinking, the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling separately"

People including Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, Park Ji-hyun, emergency committee chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, and assemblyman Yoo Seung-min are saluting the national flag at the 7th West Sea Defense Day ceremony held at the National Daejeon National Cemetery on the morning of the 25th.
Photo by Kang Jin-hyung, Daejeon aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min requested on the 25th to correct the practice of collectively commemorating the Cheonan sinking, the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, and the November 23 Yeonpyeong Island shelling as 'West Sea Defense Day.' He stated, "It is not right to combine these three important historical days into a single event of West Sea Defense Day for the convenience of the survivors."

On West Sea Defense Day, Yoo said through social media (SNS), "The Second Battle of Yeonpyeong on June 29, 2002, has now reached 20 years, and the Cheonan sinking on March 26, 2010, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling on November 23 have reached 12 years," adding, "I pray for the souls of the 46 Cheonan heroes who sacrificed their lives defending the homeland, the late Lieutenant Han Ju-ho, the six sailors of Chamsuri 357, and the two heroes of the Yeonpyeong Island shelling."

He urged, "I ask the new government transition team to hold memorial ceremonies for the March 26 Cheonan sinking, June 29 Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, and November 23 Yeonpyeong Island shelling separately on their respective dates."

He said, "It is a long-standing tradition of our nation, and a universal principle across East and West, for the living to honor the spirits of the deceased on their death anniversaries," adding, "I hope the new government will correct this practice." He continued, "I wish comfort to the heroes who sacrificed their lives and their bereaved families, for whom spring has not truly come for many years, and hope their memory will be eternally recorded in history."

Former lawmaker Yoo attended the West Sea Defense Day commemorative ceremony held at Daejeon National Cemetery on the same day.

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