Former President Moon Urges Kim and Trump to "Boldly Sit Down... Peace Must Be Achieved in Trump's Second Term"

Commemorative Speech Marking the 8th Anniversary of the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration

Former President Moon Jae-in on April 27 called on U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resume talks.

In his commemorative speech marking the 8th anniversary of the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration, Moon said, "I hope Chairman Kim will boldly sit down with President Trump, who has shown a willingness to engage in dialogue," adding, "True security cannot be guaranteed by building up military power and raising walls of isolation and division."

Former President Moon Jae-in. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Division

Regarding inter-Korean relations, he stated, "I hope, as we did eight years ago, that improving inter-Korean relations will serve as a bridge to North Korea-U.S. dialogue," emphasizing, "Inter-Korean dialogue is the fastest and safest breakthrough to overcome the current stalemate." He continued, "I urge Chairman Kim to return to the spirit of the April 27 Panmunjom summit, open the door for dialogue in a forward-looking manner, and, together with the Lee Jaemyung administration, redraw the dream of a 'peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula' as a confident member of the international community."

Moon also addressed President Trump, saying, "I hope you will once again demonstrate your unique decisiveness and wisdom to bring North Korea back to the table," and added, "I look forward to seeing the peace that was left unfinished in your first term realized in your second term, showing a historic legacy of peace leadership." He stated, "The Korean Peninsula issue is a core U.S. national interest and a watershed moment for world peace, and it must never be deprioritized or neglected. There is no alternative to a diplomatic solution for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue and achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula."

Moon mentioned the Middle East war that began with the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran, stressing, "Regional conflicts are no longer someone else's problem," and "In this harsh international environment, ... we must develop national capabilities to act independently in our national interest under any circumstances." To this end, he said, "We must once again firmly declare to the international community the principle that 'no one may use force on the Korean Peninsula without the consent of the Republic of Korea,'" emphasizing, "Peace is an unyielding sovereign right that can never be compromised."

He added, "Public concern is growing more than ever that unwanted military clashes may occur on the Korean Peninsula regardless of our will," and reiterated, "We must show a resolute determination that any form of war or armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula against the will of our people will never be tolerated."

Additionally, he said, "We must firmly establish the principle of self-reliant national defense and complete our own security capabilities," adding, "In an international environment dominated by national self-interest, it has become even clearer that security which cannot be defended by our own strength is nothing but a castle built on sand." He continued, "The transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) can no longer be delayed. OPCON transfer is by no means a weakening of the alliance. A strong military that takes responsibility for itself will make the South Korea-U.S. alliance healthier and will also be a significant strategic benefit for the United States as our ally."

Moon further stressed, "We must urgently restore the crisis management and conflict prevention systems on the Korean Peninsula," and called for "the immediate restoration of military communication lines and hotlines to prevent accidental clashes in border areas, and the revival of minimum communication structures such as the Panmunjom channel and working-level contact with the United Nations Command." He went on to say, "We must restore the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement as soon as possible and further develop it as the two Koreas sincerely implement it together."

Moon also assessed the Lee Jaemyung administration's vision for "peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," saying, "Although North Korea's response remains cold and hostile, if we remain patient and stay the course, opportunities for dialogue will surely come again."

Meanwhile, the 8th anniversary ceremony of the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration will be held at 2 p.m. that day at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, organized by the Council for Inheritance and Development of Democratic Government's Peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Ministry of Unification, among others.

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