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

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

In a commemorative address marking the 8th anniversary of the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration, Moon stated, "I hope Chairman Kim will boldly sit down with President Trump, who has shown willingness for dialogue," adding, "Genuine security cannot be guaranteed by building up military power and raising walls of isolation and separation."

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

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Regarding inter-Korean relations, he said, "Just as we did eight years ago, I hope that improving inter-Korean relations will serve as a bridge toward North Korea-U.S. dialogue," emphasizing, "Dialogue between the two Koreas is the quickest and safest breakthrough to overcome the current deadlock." He continued, "I urge Chairman Kim to return to the original spirit of the April 27 Panmunjom Summit, open the door to dialogue with a forward-looking attitude, and, together with the Lee Jaemyung administration, revive the dream of a 'Korean Peninsula of peace and prosperity,' moving forward as a proud 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 for dialogue," and added, "I look forward to seeing the peace that could not be achieved during your first term come to fruition in your second term, demonstrating a legacy of peace leadership that will go down in history." He stressed, "The Korean Peninsula issue is a core national interest for the United States and a watershed for world peace; it must never be pushed aside 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 also referred to the Middle East war that began with the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, stating, "Regional conflicts are no longer someone else's problem," and emphasized, "In today's harsh international environment... we must develop national capabilities to act independently in pursuit of our interests under any circumstances." To that end, he said, "We must once again firmly declare to the international community that 'no one may use force on the Korean Peninsula without the consent of the Republic of Korea,'" stressing, "Peace is our sovereign right and never negotiable."

He added, "There is now greater public concern than ever before that unwanted military clashes could occur on the Korean Peninsula regardless of our intentions," and reiterated, "We must demonstrate a firm resolve that any form of war or armed conflict on the peninsula, contrary to the will of our people, will never be tolerated."

He also stated, "We must firmly establish the principle of self-reliant national defense and build a defense capability that allows us to take responsibility for our own security," noting, "It has become even clearer that security which cannot be defended by our own strength is nothing more than a castle built on sand, especially amidst the prevailing global trend of national self-interest." He continued, "The transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) can no longer be delayed. The 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 even healthier and will also bring significant strategic benefits to the United States as an ally."

Moon further stressed, "We must urgently restore the crisis management and conflict prevention mechanisms on the Korean Peninsula," and called for "the immediate restoration of military communication lines and hotlines to prevent accidental clashes in border areas, as well as the revival of minimum communication channels such as the Panmunjom channel and working-level contacts with the United Nations Command." He added, "The September 19 inter-Korean military agreement must be restored as soon as possible, and both Koreas should faithfully implement and further develop it together."

Moon also commented on the Lee Jaemyung administration's vision for "peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," saying, "Although North Korea's response remains cold and hostile, opportunities for dialogue will surely return if we persevere and remain consistent at times like these."

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

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