"South Korea has grown into a country that commands global attention"

President Lee Jae Myung delivers remarks at a reception honoring Korean War veterans, held Thursday at Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung delivers remarks at a reception honoring Korean War veterans, held Thursday at Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung met with Korean War veterans Thursday and said South Korea's standing as a globally admired nation was built on their contributions.

Speaking at a reception marking the 76th anniversary of the Korean War, held at Suwon Convention Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Lee said: "On behalf of the Korean people, I want to again express my deepest gratitude for your sacrifice and dedication."

Lee said his recent overseas trips had given him a renewed sense of how South Korea's international standing has transformed, and he credited that change to the veterans. "In a remarkably short time, world leaders and citizens alike seem to regard South Korea as a truly special country — one that operates on a different level entirely," he said.

He added that South Korea's profile had risen across semiconductors and advanced technology, the defense industry, culture and politics.

"South Korea has become a country that earns recognition in every field — economics, politics, defense industries, cutting-edge science, you name it," Lee said. "This was a country that nearly ceased to exist. Thanks to international support, and above all to those who gave their youth and their lives during the Korean War, South Korea has grown into a country that commands global attention."

Lee closed by pledging that the nation would not forget what the veterans had done. "Every Korean will remember your dedication and your contribution," he said, expressing hope that the veterans would live long and healthy lives to witness South Korea's continued growth and the new recognition it earns with each passing day.

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hye-kyung raise their glasses Thursday at a reception honoring Korean War veterans at Suwon Convention Center, joining in a toast proposed by veteran Yun In-hwa. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hye-kyung raise their glasses Thursday at a reception honoring Korean War veterans at Suwon Convention Center, joining in a toast proposed by veteran Yun In-hwa. [Yonhap]

Son Hui-won, chairman of the Korean War Veterans Association of the Republic of Korea, delivered remarks on behalf of the veterans. He said the government had recently expanded association membership to include bereaved family members and established a new livelihood support system for widows of veterans. He called these measures "precious gifts" that reflected what he described as the administration's philosophy of "special compensation for special sacrifice."

A representative of the younger generation also offered her thanks. Choe Han-ju, a granddaughter of a Korean War veteran, said she had seen the traces of war firsthand around the world and come to understand how much her generation's ordinary days owe to those who fought. "I have come to realize deeply in my heart that the ordinary days we enjoy are in fact a miracle built upon immense sacrifice," she said. "I cannot begin to imagine the fear you must have felt on the battlefield at such a young age. It is because you overcame that fear and defended this country that everything we have today is possible."

The toast was proposed by Yun In-hwa, a Korean War veteran. "On June 25, 76 years ago, I enlisted as a student soldier with a battalion of the US 2nd Infantry Division and fought on the eastern front in Gangwon Province," he said, before leading the room in a cheer — calling out "Republic of Korea!" and asking the audience to respond with "Fighting!"


moone@heraldcorp.com