(Unofficial Translation)

Fellow Koreans, war veterans and bereaved relatives,

We are observing West Sea Defense Day at a time when patriotism is more needed than ever. 

Through patriotism, we prevailed over colonial rule and a war and achieved economic growth and democracy. Through the power of “solidarity and cooperation,” we have been able to overcome adversities. The source of that power was patriotism: the love of our homeland, our neighbors and our history.

The sacrifice and dedication of our heroes who defended the West Sea are the very symbol of that patriotism.    

Our heroes conducted operations with indomitable grit at the intersection of life and death in a barrage of bullets and shells. They completed their missions as military soldiers until the end, each one demonstrating a spirit of comradeship. 

The patriotism practiced by these heroes has become the freedom and peace of our country. With formidable national security that no one can dare challenge, we have been able to elicit international trust and cooperation with regard to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. 

The people remember our heroic warriors’ patriotism not only here in Daejeon National Cemetery but also across the country. We see the noble devotion of Warrant Officer Han Ju-ho in Jinhae Marine Park in Changwon and Sudo Electric Technical High School in Seoul. As we encounter Staff Sergeant Seo Jung-woo and Private First Class Moon Gwang-wook in Munseong Middle School in Gwangju and the Eunpa Lake Park in Gunsan, we engrave their unbreakable bravery deep into our hearts. 

I pay tribute to our heroes who defended the West Sea and became a source of pride and self-esteem for our people. I also convey my deepest sympathy to their bereaved relatives.

War veterans and bereaved families,  

In the face of an unprecedented crisis triggered by COVID-19, our military personnel and their relatives have taken the initiative in the practice of patriotism.

The Cheonan Corvette Memorial Foundation and an association of relatives of the 46 fallen warriors delivered face masks and charitable donations to Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Their helping hands reaching out for solidarity and cooperation above their own suffering have become a source of hope for the people. 

Newly commissioned nursing officers and military medical doctors rushed to Daegu, the frontlines, to battle against COVID-19 after their commissioning was moved up. Reserve nursing officers volunteered for medical support as civilians, and about 35,000 troops participated in blood drives out of their own volition.

The engineering corps dispatched to the Armed Forces Daegu Hospital created beds for those infected, and 12,000 troops and 6,000 pieces of military equipment have been mobilized to support disinfection and infectious disease prevention and control efforts across the country. Air Force transport planes made non-stop, 20-hour flights to bring 80,000 surgical gowns from Myanmar.
 
The spirit of the West Sea heroes is embedded in the hearts of our soldiers. I believe the heroes will be proud of all of you who are practicing the spirit of a soldier’s duty to sacrifice himself for his country as a member of a “military dedicated to serve the people.”
 
Fellow Koreans, 
 
We must win if we fight, but if we can win without fighting, we must choose that path. The strongest security is peace, and peace is the way to reciprocate the sacrifices of our fallen heroes.
 
The Government is building strong security and peace based on its mighty military and impenetrable defense capabilities.
 
By significantly expanding the defense budget over the past three years, this year, the Government has ushered in the era of a 50-trillion-won defense budget for the first time, and the Republic of Korea has emerged as the world’s sixth-largest military power.

In 2018, South and North Korea suspended hostile military actions in the West Sea in line with the September 19 agreement in the military domain.  

Not a single armed conflict has occurred along the Northern Limit Line, which was safeguarded by our West Sea heroes, and their successors are steadfastly protecting our territory and territorial waters from bases at Pyeongtaek Navy 2nd Fleet Command and on the shore of Yeonhwa-ri, Baengnyeong Island, where monuments to the 46 warriors of the ROKS Cheonan have been erected.

Our fishermen dream of catching a full haul in the peaceful fishing grounds our heroes have safeguarded in sight of the lighthouse on Yeonpyeong Island, which stands lit once more after 45 years. 
 
The Government will achieve permanent peace with strong security without fail. We will remember the sacrifices of our heroes with a firm readiness posture. We will open up the path for peace and prosperity along with the people who trust and support our military. 

The Government will do all it can to show respect for those who have sacrificed and dedicated themselves for the nation. 

The “fallen soldiers” of the 2nd Battle of Yeonpyeong were once regarded as those who died in the line of duty, rather than those recognized legally as having been killed in action. The Participatory Government devised provisions for honoring fallen soldiers in war, but these were not applied retroactively.

The enforcement decree to the special act to compensate the soldiers killed in the 2nd Battle of Yeonpyeong was finally passed at the Cabinet Meeting in July 2018. It became possible, for the first time, to properly honor the soldiers who fought in the 2nd Battle of Yeonpyeong as war dead and –16 years after the battle – bestow the high recognition they deserve. It is truly meaningful, indeed.   

Last December, with the improvements in the pension payment criteria for the bereaved families of those who died on duty, the amount was raised and standardized to 43 percent of the monthly pay, regardless of their length of service. Moreover, a new system was introduced to increase the pension rate in proportion to the number of bereaved family members, thereby strengthening support for their livelihoods. 

We are preparing additional compensation measures for decorated veterans who have been injured during battle. The benefits for veterans who are injured during battle will be increased fivefold to 63.2 billion won next year from 16.3 billion won this year. It will be gradually raised to a level equal to 50 percent of the honorary benefits for war veterans. 

The provision of genuine welfare to decorated veterans and patriots will only be complete when they and their bereaved families can feel a sense of honor and self-esteem, and when such a scene fills the people with pride. 

A country must take responsibility for the military’s loyalty and dedication until the end. We will make sure that the value of patriotism firmly takes root in the people’s daily lives by properly taking care of veterans and patriots so that veterans’ welfare is not shaken by political changes. 

Fellow Koreans, war veterans and bereaved families, 

Patriotism is the most solid source of national security. It is the foundation of a country that cannot be shaken by anyone. 

So long as the patriotism of the heroes who defended the West Sea continues to remain in the hearts of men and women in uniform and the history of patriotism stays alive in the memories of the people, we can surmount any crisis. 

We affirm that our patriotism is being demonstrated today in the form of solidarity and cooperation while battling the COVID-19 outbreak. We are seeing a greater sense of patriotism that lets the people become a source of strength for each other, which is expanding in turn into cooperation within the international community. 

A myriad of living things inhabit a big, sturdy tree. Our patriotism will make the Republic of Korea a stronger and greater country and help write a new chapter in the history of peace and prosperity during the course of cooperation with the international community. 

Marking West Sea Defense Day today, we commemorate indomitable heroes and further renew our commitment to surmount the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The stories of the heroes who defended the West Sea will become the proud history of patriotism and be passed down to future generations forever. 

Thank you.