Yoon: "Highest Honors to Heroes" ... On North Korea's Provocation, "Despicable, Will Never Overlook"

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]

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On the morning of the 6th, President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the 69th Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony held at the National Seoul National Cemetery with First Lady Kim Keon-hee, stating, "We will repay the heroes who sacrificed for the nation and the people with the highest honors," and pledged to improve medical services for national merit recipients. Targeting North Korea, he criticized it as "the darkest land in the world" and said it "continues with despicable provocations."

President Yoon made these remarks in his commemorative speech at the Memorial Day ceremony held under the theme, "We remember your sacrifice that protected the Republic of Korea." About 5,000 people, including national merit recipients and their families, key government officials, members of the National Assembly, senior military officers, heads of central veterans organizations, and citizens, attended the ceremony to pray for the souls of the fallen patriots and war heroes and to honor their achievements.

In his speech, President Yoon said, "Myself and the government will repay the heroes who sacrificed everything for the nation and the people with the highest honors," adding, "Through innovation in veterans' medical care, we will improve medical services for national merit recipients and expand rehabilitation support to carefully help those injured during their duties regain their daily lives."

He continued, "The government will take full responsibility for the families of heroes who tragically died in the line of duty, no matter what happens," emphasizing, "The children of heroes will be able to grow up with pride and dignity, and the state will become a warm family. Each child will be carefully cared for as if they were my own."

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

He said, "The Republic of Korea has become the brightest country in the world, but north of the Demilitarized Zone has become the darkest land in the world," pointing out, "There are compatriots living just about 50 km away from here who have been brutally deprived of freedom and human rights and are living in hunger. The North Korean regime rejects the progress of history and walks the path of regression, threatening our lives."

He added, "Following artillery fire and missile launches in the West Sea, recently, they have even carried out despicable provocations that any normal country would be ashamed of," emphasizing, "The government will never overlook these North Korean threats. We will maintain an ironclad readiness posture and respond firmly and overwhelmingly to provocations."

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

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President Yoon said, "Based on a stronger ROK-U.S. alliance and cooperation with the international community, we will firmly protect the people's freedom and safety," adding, "Peace is not submission but is maintained by strength. Only when our power becomes stronger can we change North Korea."

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

Also, descendants of national merit recipients currently serving in the military, as well as active police officers and firefighters, led the singing of the national anthem. During the reading of "A 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 aloud by Army Second Lieutenant Park Hee-jun, the grandson of Korean War veteran Park Myung-ho, who also fought in the Battle of Baengma-goji.

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

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