Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung stated on Saturday that honoring and paying due respects to those killed while serving the country is a social duty the nation should uphold. Lee made these remarks during a speech at a Memorial Day ceremony, which is a national holiday commemorating those who sacrificed themselves for the country, including those who fought for independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery was attended by 3,000 uniformed service members, government officials, national merit recipients, and their families. Among the attendees were the family members of a 34-year-old Coast Guard officer who lost his life last year while attempting to rescue someone from a tidal flat, as well as the families of two service members who died in an Army helicopter crash in February. President Lee stressed that commemorating the spirit of patriots and paying them full respect is a social duty that should be faithfully upheld by the nation.
The president highlighted the upcoming enactment of a law next year that will expand benefits for the families of independence fighters, underscoring the government's commitment to providing financial support to the spouses of war veterans. He also reaffirmed his dedication to expanding the network of veterans hospitals into remote areas, such as Gangwon Province and Jeju Island.
Lee stated that respect for devotion is the driving force that sustains and advances the national community, and assured that the government will not fail to reward such noble devotion. He emphasized that punishing those who betrayed the community is equally important, asserting that both honoring devotion and punishing betrayal are essential for a nation to advance sustainably and achieve genuine unity.
The president noted that a newly promulgated law will enable the government to investigate and forfeit illegally accumulated assets of pro-Japan collaborators from the colonial era, aiming to set a precedent and prevent future occurrences. He also pledged adequate government support for uniformed service members, including soldiers, firefighters, police officers, and Coast Guard personnel, while promising improvements in the assistance system for those wounded during military service.
President Lee concluded by acknowledging the current wave of crises, such as the economic repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East, but expressed confidence in the nation's ability to overcome any crisis through unity and potential to act as one in the face of national challenges.