7th Anniversary of the September 19 Declaration... President Lee: "Commitment to Respect North Korean Regime Remains Valid"

President Lee Jae-myung is reviewing documents at the 11th Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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On September 19, President Lee Jae Myung emphasized that his commitment to respecting the North Korean regime remains valid, marking the seventh anniversary of the September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration.

On this day, through his social media account, President Lee stated, "In my Liberation Day address, I presented three principles," adding, "My promises-to respect the North Korean regime, not to pursue unification by absorption, and not to engage in any hostile acts-remain unchanged."

President Lee remarked, "Seven years ago today, the two Koreas pledged in Pyongyang to walk the path of peace and joint prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and adopted a military agreement to that end. As the military agreement was implemented, tensions between the two Koreas eased, and for the first time in a while, a sense of peace prevailed on the peninsula."

He pointed out, "Unfortunately, in recent years, confrontation between the two Koreas has intensified significantly, effectively nullifying the military agreement, gravely damaging mutual trust, and even cutting off dialogue."

He continued, "Once broken, trust cannot be restored quickly. Trust is not built on words, but on actions and practice," adding, "I will approach this with patience, as one would untangle a knotted thread."

President Lee also mentioned, "To restore the spirit of the September 19 Military Agreement and to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation, I will steadily carry out the responsibilities of the government as president, together with the people."

He further pledged, "I will ensure that residents in border areas never again lose sleep at night, that our economy is never again burdened by risks stemming from military confrontation, and that democracy is never again threatened by forces exploiting division."

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