[Full Text] Yoon: "The ROK-US-Japan Summit, a New Milestone for Peace and Prosperity"

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President Yoon Suk-yeol described the upcoming trilateral summit between South Korea, the United States, and Japan, scheduled for the 18th at the U.S. President's retreat, Camp David, as "a new milestone in trilateral cooperation that will contribute to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region," on the 15th.

On the same day, during his congratulatory speech at the 78th Liberation Day ceremony held at Ewha Womans University auditorium, President Yoon stated, "The importance of security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan is growing day by day on the Korean Peninsula and in the region."

First, President Yoon explained the modern historical significance of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan relationship by saying, "Since the government’s inception, we have actively promoted security cooperation and advanced technology collaboration with countries that share universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law."

Regarding South Korea-U.S. and South Korea-Japan relations, he added, "The South Korea-U.S. alliance is an alliance of peace and prosperity founded on universal values. Japan is now a partner that shares universal values with us and pursues common interests. South Korea and Japan, as security and economic cooperation partners, can cooperate and exchange in a future-oriented manner and jointly contribute to world peace and prosperity."

On the other hand, he mentioned, "Anti-state forces that blindly follow communist totalitarianism, distort public opinion through fabricated propaganda, and disrupt society are still rampant," and added, "In the reality of division where freedom democracy and communist totalitarianism confront each other, the rampage of anti-state forces will not easily disappear."

He continued, "Communist totalitarian forces have always disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights activists, and progressive activists, engaging in false propaganda and vile, immoral operations," emphasizing, "We must never be deceived or succumb to these communist totalitarian forces, their blind followers, or their supporters."

Additionally, he promised improvements regarding the recent issues of 'shoddy construction' revealed in poorly built Mu-ryang-pan apartments, construction interest cartels, killer regulations, fragmented research and development (R&D), and the decline of educational authority.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The full text of President Yoon’s congratulatory speech at the 78th Liberation Day ceremony

Respected citizens, 7.5 million overseas Koreans,

Today marks the 78th Liberation Day. I pay tribute to the patriotic martyrs and independence activists who sacrificed and devoted themselves for our nation's independence. I also extend my deepest gratitude to their bereaved families.

Our independence movement was a founding movement to establish a nation where the people are the masters, and where freedom, human rights, and the rule of law are respected in a liberal democracy. It was not simply about regaining lost sovereignty or returning to a past monarchical state. It was certainly not about becoming a communist totalitarian state where freedom and human rights are ignored. Therefore, our independence movement was universal and just from the perspective of all humanity.

After regaining sovereignty, our independence movement continued by confronting communist forces to protect free South Korea, leading to industrial development, economic growth, and democratization. Now, the spirit of the independence movement has evolved into a vision of a global pivotal nation that fulfills responsibilities and contributions in the international community for the freedom, peace, and prosperity of global citizens. We must properly remember the ancestors who devoted everything for the freedom, independence, and universal values of our homeland. Properly remembering them is the essence and core of the Republic of Korea’s national identity and continuity.

Respected citizens,

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the armistice agreement and the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. We fought alongside the United Nations forces against communist invasion to protect our freedom, and later succeeded in industrialization known as the Miracle on the Han River. The Republic of Korea achieved remarkable growth and prosperity on the wise decisions of leaders who established liberal democracy and the South Korea-U.S. alliance, and on the blood and sweat of its people.

In contrast, North Korea, which has maintained a totalitarian regime and oppressive rule for 70 years, remains trapped in extreme poverty and hardship. The stark difference between South Korea, which chose and pursued liberal democracy, and North Korea, which chose communist totalitarianism, is clearly evident. Nevertheless, anti-state forces that blindly follow communist totalitarianism, distort public opinion through fabricated propaganda, and disrupt society are still rampant. In the reality of division where liberal democracy and communist totalitarianism confront each other, the rampage of these anti-state forces will not easily disappear.

Totalitarian forces have fully utilized the legal rights guaranteed by free society to disrupt and attack free society. This is the survival method of totalitarian forces. Communist totalitarian forces have always disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights activists, and progressive activists, engaging in false propaganda and vile, immoral operations. We must never be deceived or succumb to these communist totalitarian forces, their blind followers, or their supporters. The belief and conviction that liberal democracy will surely prevail, and the spirit of solidarity where we all unite, are important.

Since the government’s inception, we have actively promoted security cooperation and advanced technology collaboration with countries that share universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. The South Korea-U.S. alliance is an alliance of peace and prosperity founded on universal values. Japan is now a partner that shares universal values with us and pursues common interests. South Korea and Japan, as security and economic cooperation partners, can cooperate and exchange in a future-oriented manner and jointly contribute to world peace and prosperity.

In particular, the importance of security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan is growing day by day on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. To fundamentally block North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats,

close reconnaissance asset cooperation and real-time sharing of North Korean nuclear missile information among the three countries must be achieved. The seven rear bases that Japan provides to the United Nations Command play the greatest deterrent role in blocking North Korea’s invasion of the South. If North Korea invades the South, automatic and immediate intervention and retaliation by the United Nations Command will follow, and Japan’s rear bases for the United Nations Command are places where sufficient United Nations forces’ land, sea, and air power are stockpiled for that purpose. The United Nations Command has been a model of international solidarity that has played a key role in firmly protecting South Korea’s freedom ‘under one flag.’ The trilateral summit at Camp David in three days will be a new milestone in trilateral cooperation that will contribute to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region. The security of the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region is deeply connected to the security of the Atlantic and European regions. Therefore, strengthening cooperation with NATO is also very important.

South Korea’s security lies on the same axis as the security of the Indo-Pacific region, the Atlantic and Europe, and global security. South Korea’s comprehensive responsible and contributory diplomacy in the international community contributes to the world’s freedom, peace, and prosperity, while simultaneously building South Korea’s own freedom, peace, and prosperity. The government’s investment of finances and efforts into official development assistance, international development cooperation, and support for Ukraine’s freedom and peace ultimately serves South Korea’s freedom, peace, and prosperity. The government will also steadfastly implement the ‘Bold Initiative’ to build peace with overwhelming power, while cooperating with the international community so that the North Korean regime moves from nuclear and missile paths to dialogue and cooperation, improving the livelihoods of North Korean people.

Respected citizens,

Despite internal and external challenges and the difficulties of global complex crises since its inception, the government has worked tirelessly to protect liberal democracy and restore the broken free market economy. A strong South Korea-U.S. alliance, and solidarity and cooperation with countries sharing universal values, form the foundation for our economy, which is highly dependent on external factors, to prosper and develop. Relationships that cooperate on security matters vital to survival inevitably lead to close cooperation in economic and advanced science and technology fields, which are matters of livelihood.

The government has done its best to increase exports and investment and expand advanced science and technology cooperation through active sales diplomacy based on a firm foundation of global security cooperation. It has strengthened a market economy centered on companies and the private sector, normalized the real estate market, and tackled reckless and wasteful fiscal spending to establish a sound fiscal policy for future generations. Furthermore, it has adopted care and support for socially vulnerable groups as a core national social policy, boldly shifting fiscal expenditure from political welfare to welfare for the disadvantaged.

For sustainable economic growth and the creation of quality jobs, market economy principles must function properly, and a fair and just compensation system must be established. Illegal activities of interest cartels must be eradicated to establish fairness and the rule of law, and especially, construction cartels that threaten public safety through shoddy construction must be thoroughly reformed. Killer regulations that hinder investment will be removed rapidly, and the fragmented R&D system will be restructured to promote scientific and technological innovation. The core of scientific and technological competitiveness is people. Ultimately, it is about nurturing talent. We will boldly invest finances in advanced science and technology, the future growth engine, and rapidly innovate higher education so that various academic fields can cooperate to cultivate convergent talents. Additionally, by ensuring respect for educational authority and normalizing educational sites, students’ right to learn will be effectively guaranteed. Rules must be properly established in educational settings, and respecting educational authority is the way to establish those rules.

Citizens,

Even during dark times when the possibility of regaining sovereignty in our generation was slim, we never gave up the dream of a nation where the people are the masters and a liberal democratic state. The journey of the Republic of Korea, which started in search of freedom, has brought us not only freedom and independence but also peace and prosperity. We must now willingly accept the historic mission to responsibly contribute to the freedom, peace, and prosperity of global citizens. For this, the journey we began long ago in search of freedom must continue without pause. Unlike in the past, our journey is no longer lonely. Many friends around the world are with us and support us. I am proud of all the people of the Republic of Korea who have shared hardships and glory in pursuit of freedom. Thank you.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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