Marking the 81st anniversary of Liberation Day, President Lee Jae-myung proposed, "Let us begin discussions among the concerned parties to end this very long-standing war."
In his address at the 81st Liberation Day ceremony held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on the 15th, President Lee stated, "We will embark on a journey to end the war and transform the unstable armistice regime on the Korean Peninsula into a peace regime." He added, "Through this process, we can also discuss effective measures to halt the advancement of North Korea's nuclear capabilities."
This follows his Liberation Day address last year, in which he outlined principles regarding North Korea—respecting its system, eschewing unification by absorption, and refraining from hostile acts—and marks a shift toward presenting a concrete blueprint this year.
President Lee emphasized, "The Republic of Korea's prosperity cannot be achieved through economic growth alone; it must be underpinned by a stable and peaceful global order."
He then presented three key pillars for this blueprint: inclusive peaceful coexistence, stable peaceful coexistence, and responsible, peaceful coexistence. "Inclusive peaceful coexistence" entails the two Koreas respecting each other, ceasing unnecessary confrontation, and gradually reducing hostility across perceptions, norms, and institutions. President Lee stated, "I hope the two Koreas will sit down together for peaceful coexistence and shared growth," adding, "This will mark the starting point for coexistence, not merely a concession."
"Stable, peaceful coexistence" involves taking proactive, sustained measures to advance peace, based on a comprehensive review of the security landscape surrounding the Korean Peninsula. President Lee pledged, "I will elicit a positive response from the North to build a stable Korean Peninsula."
"Responsible, peaceful coexistence" is a vision in which peace on the Korean Peninsula fosters stability and cooperation in Northeast Asia and serves as a milestone toward a nuclear-free world. To this end, President Lee proposed, "Let us set aside mutual threats and begin discussions among the parties concerned to bring an end to the war."
