Blue House: Politics: News: Hankyoreh Mobile

President Moon Jae-in attended the’West Sea Protection Day’ ceremony held at the 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do on the 26th and toured the hull of the Cheonan ship that was attacked and sunk in 2010. The day before, North Korea’s missile launch was “never desirable,” and emphasized its strong security commitment. In a commemorative address on the day, President Moon said, “I am well aware that the public’s concern was great about yesterday’s North Korean missile test launch.” It is never desirable to give trouble to the atmosphere of the conversation.” In doing so, President Moon listed the ROK military’s response capabilities. It introduced new weapons that would cost enormous military expenditures, such as “the highest level of defense budget increase in history”, “the next-generation domestic fighter KF-X”, “a 30,000-ton class light aircraft carrier,” “3000-ton class submarine,” and “marines landing attack helicopter”. In addition, he said, “We have the world’s best missile capabilities to defend ourselves while adhering to the principle of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” South Korea’s introduction of the latest weapons and its enormous defense budget are issues that North Korea is sensitive to. An official from the Blue House said, “It is also a message to North Korea that the President mentioned light carriers and submarines while North Korea is firing missiles.” First established in 2016, during the Park Geun-hye administration, the West Sea Protection Day is an event to commemorate the 55 soldiers of the West Sea Guard, who were killed in the 2nd Yeonpyeong Sea Battle, the attack of the Cheonan, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling provocation. President Moon has been absent from 2018 to 2019 in a row since his inauguration, but has attended since last year. This year’s West Sea Protection Day celebration was held for the first time at the Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command, a spearhead of protecting the West Sea Northern Limit Line (NLL). The venues were set up in the naval landing ships’Cheonjabong’ and’Nojeokseal’. President Moon revealed a subtle difference from last year in his remarks related to armed conflict. President Moon said this time, “There is no single soldier injured or lost life in the West Sea in the past four years by armed conflict or military provocation. It has proved that strong power makes peace,” he said. “If we fight, we will surely win, and we will protect and make peace on the Korean peninsula with the inevitable naval power that wins without fighting.” In his commemorative address last year, he said, “If we fight, we must win, and if we can win without fighting, we must choose that path.” While last year emphasized peace through’agreement’ with North Korea, this year it is emphasizing the strong power to keep peace. The contents of the September 19 military agreement between the two Koreas, which agreed to stop mutual hostilities in 2018, were also omitted this year.

Prior to the commemoration ceremony, President Moon visited the Jeoljeok Monument of the 2nd Yeonpyeong Naval Battle on this day to commemorate the 8 people who died in the battle with the North Korean military (the 2nd Yeonpyeong Naval Battle, the Yeonpyeong Island shelling provocation). After the ceremony, Ms. Kim Jeong-suk visited a memorial to the 46th soldier of the Cheonan ship, met a representative of the surviving family, and offered condolences. Then, he moved to the hull of the Cheonan ship in the premises of the 2nd Fleet and said, “I remember the event vividly and well. Even if the ship was damaged and sunk, it would be desirable to lift it and learn it and use it as a symbol of patriotic education,” President Moon said. President Moon named the 7th Daegu-class frigate, launched in 2023, as’Cheonan’ at a commemorative address that day. President Moon met with former Captain Choi Won-il and said, “You were discharged this year. Cheonan was born anew (by escort)” he greeted. The Navy held a ship name establishment committee the day before and decided the ship name of’Cheonan’. By Lee Wan, staff reporter