Gyeonggi province: President Lee Jae Myung pledged Thursday to establish a peaceful Korean Peninsula free from the fear of war as South Korea marks the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War. Lee made the pledge in his speech at a ceremony marking the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the war, which was held in Gyeonggi Province and brought together hundreds of war veterans, and government and military officials.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee emphasized the government's commitment to safeguarding the nation through robust defense mechanisms, aiming to create a peninsula devoid of war fears and conflicts. "I believe that doing so would be the surest reward we can give to the heroes who dedicated their lives and youth to defending this country," he stated. The president highlighted the sacrifices made by soldiers from South Korea and worldwide, emphasizing the government's unwavering dedication to protecting the Republic of Korea, which is South Korea's official name.
Lee stressed the importance of remembering and honoring these heroes, labeling it as the foremost duty of the nation and its people. He pointed out that it is a clear obligation for the descendants who currently enjoy the nation's freedom, prosperity, and peace. Additionally, the president noted South Korea's transformation from a recipient to a donor of international aid, promising to expand invitation programs for overseas Korean War veterans.
During the ceremony, President Lee conferred national merits on three Korean War veterans, both late and surviving, acknowledging their previously unrecognized contributions during the war. The Korean War, a devastating three-year civil conflict, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Korean and foreign soldiers and left the peninsula divided between the capitalist South and the socialist North. Although the war ended in 1953 with an armistice, the peninsula remains technically at war nearly eight decades later. Following the war's outbreak, 16 foreign nations dispatched combat troops as United Nations forces to support South Korea.