President Lee: "Special Reward for Special Sacrifice... Respect Is Shown Through Action, Not Words"

President Lee Attends 71st Memorial Day Ceremony
"Recovering Illegally Accumulated Assets from Pro-Japanese Collaborators"

On June 6, President Lee Jae-myung, in commemoration of Memorial Day, stated, "Special sacrifices made for all must be met with equally special compensation," and added, "Respect and compensation must be shown through actions, not just words."

During his memorial address at the 71st Memorial Day Ceremony held at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Seoul, President Lee emphasized, "Respect for dedication is the driving force that sustains and propels our national community forward."

Lee: "Confiscation of Illegally Accumulated Assets from Pro-Japanese Anti-National Collaborators"

President Lee Jae-myung is offering incense at the Memorial Tower during the 71st Memorial Day Ceremony held at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Seoul, on June 6, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee remarked, "Today is the day to remember, record, and solemnly honor the noble spirit of all those who gave their lives for the country." He highlighted the efforts of independence activists, national patriots, and democratic citizens, stressing, "Without their noble sacrifices and dedication, today’s Republic of Korea would not exist, and the freedom and peace we enjoy in our daily lives would have been impossible."

President Lee went on to mention several government initiatives, including the amendment to the "Act on the Honorable Treatment and Support of Persons of Distinguished Service to Independence," which expands compensation for the families of independence patriots; the provision of living support allowances for spouses of veterans; and the designation of quasi-veterans hospitals in Gangwon and Jeju. He explained, "The government of the sovereign people is steadily fulfilling the promises made on Memorial Day a year ago." Lee pledged, "We will make only promises we can keep, and once made, we will keep them without fail, thus honoring the noble devotion of all."

President Lee also stated, "It is an extremely important duty for those of us living today to hold accountable those who betrayed the community for selfish gain," and noted, "Only by elevating dedication and holding betrayal to account can we achieve just unity for the continuity and development of our national community." He added, "Through the 'Act on the Reversion of Pro-Japanese Collaborators’ Property,' which was promulgated on June 2, we will investigate and confiscate assets unlawfully accumulated by pro-Japanese anti-national collaborators, hold them responsible, and set a precedent to prevent recurrence."

Furthermore, President Lee emphasized, "Just as we have honored those who protected our past, we must also give due respect to the ‘uniformed citizens’ protecting our present." He pledged, "The government will firmly support uniformed citizens so that they can fully focus on their original duties for the nation and the people without any shortcomings." He also promised that soldiers who are injured during military service will be recognized as veterans immediately upon discharge and that efforts will be made to improve their treatment where it falls short.

Lee: "No Sooner Had We Normalized the Country After the Civil War Than We Faced the Challenges of the Middle East War...We Will Overcome"

Yonhap News Agency

President Lee stated, "No sooner had we restored normalcy to a nation devastated by civil war than we were immediately faced with the severe impact of the Middle East war, which is greatly affecting our economy and our daily lives." Nevertheless, he expressed confidence, saying, "I am certain that, as always, the Korean people will unite as an even greater 'us' in the face of national crises, and so we will overcome any challenge."

He added, "The government, together with the people, will overcome the crisis and devote all efforts to building the proud Republic of Korea that our fallen heroes and national patriots so earnestly wished for," concluding his memorial address by stating, "I believe that building such a proud nation is the true way to honor their sacrifices and further shine their noble spirit."

Meanwhile, the ceremony was attended by approximately 3,000 people, including national patriots and their families, government officials, and uniformed service members. The families of the late Sergeant Lee Jaeseok, who died in September last year while rescuing a man trapped in a tidal flat on Naeri Beach, Yeongheungdo, Ongjin County, Incheon, and the families of the late Chief Warrant Officer Jeong Sanggeun and Chief Warrant Officer Jang Heeseong, who died in an Army helicopter crash in February this year, were also invited.

After introducing them, President Lee extended his deep condolences, stating, "On this occasion, I would like to express my deepest sympathy. The people of Korea and the Republic of Korea will forever remember the noble spirit of the deceased."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.