Moon meets Korean War veterans on eve of anniversary
President Moon Jae-in greets Korean War veterans at the start of a luncheon with them and their families at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, on the eve of the 69th anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War. Yonhap
By Kim Yoo-chul
By Kim Yoo-chul
President Moon Jae-in vowed Monday to continue efforts to bring lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, although there has not yet been an official end to the Korean War.
“A declaration to end the Korean War has not yet been made. My mission is to make the peninsula war-free. This is the only way I can pay back your sacrifice and dedication to the country,” Moon said at the start of a luncheon with Korean War veterans and their families, according to Cheong Wa Dae press pool reports.
Today marks the 69th anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War which ended without a peace treaty. Cheong Wa Dae said the invitation came as the President wanted to treat the war veterans with true honor and respect. Some 180 veterans, the defense and veterans affairs ministers as well as the commander of the U.S. Forces of Korea attended the luncheon, the reports said.
In his remarks before the start of the luncheon, Moon said; “The Korean War is a sad part of history, but we defended our country by fighting the invasion from North Korea. After the war, South Korea has become the world's sixth-largest exporter with the per capita income exceeding $30,000. The country has also become a provider for aid to help others suffering because of conflicts, diseases and poverty.”
President Moon also appreciated U.S. veterans for their sacrifice during the Korean War and added the government plans to build a wall in Washington, D.C., to commemorate their deaths.
“The government will introduce advanced measures for better care of war veterans. We will never stop exploring measures to pay back your sincere dedication and devotion to the country,” the President said.
President Moon will hold his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump later this week at Cheong Wa Dae to discuss ways to further strengthen the military alliance between the two countries and break the deadlock in nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea since the breakdown of the Trump-Kim Jong-un summit in Hanoi earlier this year.