President honors fallen at Arlington National Cemetery

President Lee Jae Myung lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery located in Virginia, Tuesday. Yonhap

ARLINGTON, Va. — President Lee Jae Myung paid tribute to the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, near Washington, D.C., Tuesday, during his U.S. visit.

Accompanied by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Trade Minister Kim Jung-kwan, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and first lady Kim Hea kyung, Lee laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Arlington cemetery, often compared to Korea’s National Cemetery, is the resting place for some 215,000 veterans of the Civil War, World Wars I and II and the Vietnam War.

President Lee Jae Myung salutes the flag while paying tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Tuesday. Yonhap

Upon arrival, Lee was received with full honors, including a military guard of honor, a marching band and a 21-gun salute accorded to heads of state.

Following the salute, the Korean national anthem was performed, during which the president placed his hand over his heart and rendered respect to the flag.

He later toured the cemetery’s memorial exhibition hall with U.S. officials.

With his visit to Arlington complete, Lee concluded his Washington, D.C. engagements and traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

President Lee Jae Myung walks to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Tuesday (local time), to pay his respects. Yonhap

In Philadelphia, he visited the Jaisohn Memorial House to honor Dr. Philip Jaisohn, a pioneering reformer and influential figure in Korean history. Lee is the first Korean president in 26 years — since the late President Kim Dae-jung — to make the visit.