No Mention of North Korea on West Sea Defense Day... President Lee: "Toward a Foundation of Peace and Prosperity"

11th Day to Commemorate the Defenders of the West Sea

President Lee Attends for the First Time Since Taking Office

"Peace Is Sustenance, Peace Is the Livelihood of the People"

Yonhap News Agency

On March 27, President Lee Jae-myung marked West Sea Defense Day by stating, "Our responsibility is clear. We must transform the sea, which was defended with our lives, from a boundary of conflict and division into a foundation of peace and prosperity." He also pledged to expand compensation and recognition for veterans and the families of the fallen. However, he made no mention of North Korea.

President Lee made these remarks at the 11th West Sea Defense Day commemoration ceremony, held at the National Daejeon National Cemetery under the theme "Our West Sea: Toward Peace and Prosperity."

West Sea Defense Day is a day to honor the 55 heroes and service members who defended the West Sea during the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong in 2002, the sinking of the Cheonan warship in 2010, and the Yeonpyeong bombardment in 2010. Since 2016, the ceremony has been held annually on the third Friday of March. This was President Lee’s first attendance since taking office.

In his commemorative address, President Lee stated, "Peace is sustenance, peace is people’s livelihood, and peace is the ultimate security." He added, "Winning in battle is important, but achieving victory without fighting is even more important. Yet, what matters most is a peace in which there is no need to fight." He continued, "I believe that steadfastly defending our people and territory with strong defense capabilities, while creating a peaceful Korean Peninsula free from the worries of war and hostility, is the historical mission entrusted to us by the heroes who protected the West Sea."

President Lee further pledged, "We will put our utmost effort into closing the chapter on the West Sea’s past of confrontation and tension, and writing a new history of shared growth and prosperity. Together with the great people of Korea, I will march forward so that the blood and sweat shed by our heroes will shine brilliantly as honor and pride, and as a bright future for Korea."

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are paying their respects at the National Daejeon National Cemetery's 2nd Yeonpyeong naval battle and Yeonpyeong bombardment gravesite on March 27, the West Sea Defense Day, and examining the tombstones. 2026.3.27 Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap

He also pledged to enhance recognition and support for veterans and their families. President Lee stated, "If we do not adequately honor those who have made noble sacrifices, who will step forward for the nation in the future?" He emphasized, "The government for the people is working to realize the principle of ‘special compensation for special sacrifice’ by thoroughly filling any gaps in veteran support."

He then introduced several new measures: from May, living support payments for spouses of war veterans will be provided; by 2030, the number of veteran-designated medical institutions nationwide will be expanded to 2,000; and the period of mandatory military service will be included in the calculation of salary and years of service for veterans in the public sector.

However, President Lee did not specifically mention North Korea in his commemorative address. This appears to reflect the administration’s ongoing efforts to emphasize the importance of peace on the Korean Peninsula and to resume dialogue with North Korea. In contrast, former President Yoon Suk-yeol, during his first attendance at the West Sea Defense Day ceremony in 2023, stated, "North Korea’s reckless provocations will not go unpunished."

Meanwhile, approximately 1,500 people attended the ceremony, including the families of the 55 West Sea Defense heroes, veterans, citizen representatives safeguarding the West Sea, members of the general public, and youth. Before delivering his commemorative address, President Lee paid his respects at the grave sites of the fallen from the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong and the Yeonpyeong bombardment, the Cheonan’s 46 heroes, and the late Warrant Officer Han Ju-ho, along with the bereaved families and veterans.

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