Honorable Marine Corps Commandment Gen. Robert Neller, Gen. Steven Olmstead and other surviving veterans who fought in the Battle of Jangjin “Chosin” Reservoir, those who were involved in the Hungnam Evacuation and their bereaved families, and especially the relatives of Gen. Edward Almond and Dr. Hyun Bong-hak, whose roles were critical in evacuating refugees, I am very pleased to meet you all.

I am filled with special emotion to see you in front of the monument to the Jangjin Reservoir Battle. At last, I am here where I have so dearly wanted to come. It is all the more meaningful for me to start off the first day of my first overseas trip as President of the Republic of Korea here today.

In 1950, 67 years ago, the U.S. Marines suffered noble sacrifices to defend “a country they never knew and a people they never met.”  The most heroic battle fought by them during the Korean War was the Battle of Jangjin Reservoir. Thanks to the remarkable fighting spirit of those heroes of the Jangjin Reservoir, the operation to evacuate some 100,000 refugees from Hungnam could be successful.

My parents were also among the refugees aboard the SS Meredith Victory at that time.

The late Captain Leonard LaRue, who was ordered by Gen. Almond to rescue refugees, jettisoned weapons and supplies on the ship to board as many refugees as possible. Loaded with a whopping 14,000 refugees, the ship set sail to freedom and human rights navigating a sea of death teeming with naval mines. The voyage was a perfect success without a single death. 

During the voyage that started on December 23, 1950, from the Port of Hungnam and ended on December 25 when the ship arrived on the Island of Geoje in the sea down south, five babies were born. It was a Christmas miracle! It was the greatest humanitarian operation in history.

Two years later, I was born on Geoje Island where the SS Meredith Victory disembarked the refugees. Had it not been for the valiant warriors of the Jangjin Reservoir Battle and the success of the Hungnam Evacuation, my life would not have started. I would not even exist today.

So, how can I fully express my gratitude for your sacrifice and devotion with any words in any language in this world? Words like respect and gratitude just seem to be far from enough.

The story goes beyond my personal and family histories. I am also deeply touched by the love for humanity the U.S. service members showed when they evacuated not just their comrades but also so many refugees from the North at such an urgent moment. This is the reason why the Jangjin Reservoir Battle and the Hungnam Evacuation are regarded the greatest victories in the history of war.

My mother once said that U.S. sailors had handed out a piece of candy to each refugee as a Christmas gift on Christmas Eve while still sailing southward. This episode has not been made public yet. Even though it was just candy, I have always been grateful to warm-hearted U.S. sailors who gave a Christmas present to so many refugees in the throes of a devastating war.

Honorable warriors of the Battle of Jangjin Reservoir and their descendants,

The Republic of Korea remembers the sacrifice and dedication of you and your parents. The memory of gratitude and respect will continue forever. 

The ROK-U.S. alliance was forged in blood in the fire of war like this. It is not an alliance forged simply by signing several papers. As is the case with my life, the alliance between Seoul and Washington is strongly linked to the life of every single person on both sides. Because of that, I have no doubt about the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance. It will develop into a greater and stronger alliance.

Honorable warriors of the Battle of Jangjin Reservoir and their descendants,

The journey of the SS Meredith Victory toward freedom and human rights 67 years ago must continue even hereafter. I am also willing to join that journey. I will go hand in hand with President Donald Trump. Building upon the great foundation of the ROK-U.S. alliance, we will jointly bring about the dismantlement of North Korea’s nuclear program, peace on the Korean Peninsula and, moreover, peace in Northeast Asia.

I read the interview of Robert Lunney, an attorney, who is here today and who was a sailor on the SS Meredith Victory. I was overwhelmed with emotion by his saying that he really wanted to see a unified Korean Peninsula before his death. That is my dream, too.

I am planting a Winter King hawthorn here today. It is to forever remember the Battle of Jangjin Reservoir, during which soldiers demonstrated a heroic fighting spirit, enduring intense cold of minus 40 degrees centigrade. Like the tree, the ROK-U.S. alliance will further flourish. It will bear the great and meaningful fruit of the unified Korean Peninsula.

I heard the number of the last remaining survivors of the Battle is only 50. I wish you long life, good health and happiness. Again, I would like to express my gratitude and respect to the warriors of the Battle of Jangjin Reservoir, those who were involved in the Hungnam Evacuation and the bereaved families of all other Korean War veterans.

Thank you very much.