The leaders of the main rival parties on Thursday attended a ceremony commemorating the sacrifices of sailors in a deadly inter-Korean naval skirmish that occurred near South Korea's western border in 2002.
Ruling People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon and his Democratic Party (DP) counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, attended the ceremony at the Navy's 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, some 60 kilometers south of Seoul, to mark 21 years since the naval skirmish, called the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong.
South and North Korea engaged in a naval fight near Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, after North Korean patrol boats crossed the Northern Limit Line, the de facto sea border, and opened fire.
Six South Korean Navy officers were killed and 19 others were wounded. At least 10 North Korean soldiers were also presumed to have been killed.
"I pay my respects to the patriotic devotion of the naval sailors of the Chamsuri-357, who were killed while fighting without hesitation against North Korea's military provocations. May they rest in peace," Kim said in a Facebook post.
During the ceremony, Kim's eyes reddened as he listened to a speech from one of the bereaved families.
DP spokesperson Park Sung-joon also said in a statement that the party "will not forget the noble sacrifice of those who died for their country," adding that his party will make efforts to bring peace to the Yellow Sea through efforts to strengthen national security.
Source: Yonhap News Agency