Yoon: "We Will Never Tolerate North Korean Threats... Peace Is Maintained Through Strength" (Comprehensive)

President Yoon Attends the 69th Memorial Day Ceremony
Highest Honors to Heroes Who Sacrificed Everything
North Korea, the Darkest Land in the World, Cowardly Provocations

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a commemorative speech at the 69th Memorial Day ceremony held at the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the 6th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 6th, "The government will never tolerate North Korea's threats," adding, "Peace is not submission but something protected by strength." Regarding the heroes who sacrificed for the nation and its people, he said, "We will repay them with the highest honors," and pledged to improve medical services for national merit recipients and increase rehabilitation support.

President Yoon made these remarks while attending the 69th Memorial Day ceremony held at the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, along with First Lady Kim Keon-hee on the morning of the same day.

In his memorial address, President Yoon said, "My administration and I will repay the heroes who sacrificed everything for the country and its people with the highest honors," and added, "Through innovation in veterans' medical care, we will improve medical services for national merit recipients and expand rehabilitation support to carefully help those injured in the line of duty regain their daily lives."

He continued, "The government will take full responsibility for the families of the heroes who tragically died in the line of duty, no matter what happens," emphasizing, "The state will become a warm family so that the children of heroes can grow up with pride and dignity. We will meticulously care for each child as if they were our own."

President Yoon strongly criticized North Korea, which has recently continued provocations in various forms such as 'filth balloons.'

He pointed out, "South Korea has become the brightest country in the world, but north of the Demilitarized Zone has become the darkest land of darkness in the world," adding, "Just about 50 kilometers from here, there are compatriots living in hunger and deprived of freedom and human rights. The North Korean regime rejects the progress of history and walks the path of regression, threatening our lives."

He further stated, "Following artillery fire and missile launches in the West Sea, North Korea recently carried out despicable provocations that any normal country would be ashamed of," and stressed, "The government will never tolerate such North Korean threats. We will maintain an ironclad readiness posture and respond firmly and overwhelmingly to provocations."

President Yoon said, "Based on a stronger ROK-U.S. alliance and cooperation with the international community, we will firmly protect the freedom and safety of our people," and added, "Peace is not submission but something protected by strength. Only when our strength grows stronger can we change North Korea."

He also said, "The work of restoring freedom and human rights to North Korean compatriots, and furthermore, moving toward a free and prosperous unified Korea, is ultimately possible only if we become stronger," and added, "We will build a stronger Korea where all citizens unite and move forward together into the future."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are conversing at the 69th Memorial Day Ceremony held on the 6th at the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

About 5,000 people, including national merit recipients, their families, and citizens, attended the memorial ceremony to pray for the souls of the patriotic martyrs and honor their achievements.

From the National Assembly and government, Speaker Woo Won-shik, Emergency Committee Chairman Hwang Woo-yeo of the People Power Party, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, Cho Guk, leader of the Innovation Party, Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Lee Jong-seok of the Constitutional Court, and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok attended.

Descendants of national merit recipients, soldiers, police officers, and firefighters directly participated in key parts of the ceremony. Naval Second Lieutenant Sung Jin-je, whose grandfather was a Korean War veteran and whose father served as an Air Force lieutenant, representing three generations of military service, recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Also, current military personnel who are descendants of national merit recipients, as well as active police officers and firefighters, led the singing of the national anthem. During the reading of the "Letter to a Comrade," Lee Seung-cho, a Korean War veteran who participated in the Battle of Baengma-goji, wrote the letter, which was read by Army Second Lieutenant Park Hee-jun, grandson of Baengma-goji battle veteran Park Myung-ho.

President Yoon awarded certificates of national merit to the families of the late Fire Lieutenant Kim Soo-kwang and Fire Sergeant Park Soo-hoon, who died in a fire in Mungyeong City, Gyeongbuk, in January, expressing gratitude for their sacrifice and dedication to the nation.

After the ceremony, President Yoon and First Lady Kim visited the 'Monument to the Unknown Student Volunteer Soldiers' within the National Seoul National Cemetery to pay their respects. This site holds the remains of 48 soldiers who died in the Battle of Pohang District in August 1950.

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