President Lee Attends Armed Forces Day Ceremony, Offers Condolences to Soldiers Injured in DMZ Accident

78th Armed Forces Day Ceremony Held on October 1
Chungmu Order of Military Merit Awarded to Kim Orang and Jeong Seonyeop

President Lee Jaemyung attended the 78th Armed Forces Day ceremony held at Gyeryongdae in Chungcheongnam-do on October 1, 2026. During his commemorative address, President Lee is scheduled to offer words of comfort to the soldiers involved in the recent Western Front Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) incident.

The presidential office announced, “In his speech, President Lee will acknowledge the hard work of the armed forces and convey his sympathies to the soldiers who recently suffered an unexpected accident in the DMZ.” On the previous day, September 30, President Lee visited the Armed Forces Capital Hospital to console the injured soldiers and their families.

President Lee Jae-myung is saluting at the 78th Armed Forces Day ceremony held at Gyeryongdae in Chungnam on October 1, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee will also express gratitude for the sacrifices made for the country and its people, spanning from the independence and liberation forces to today’s armed forces. He will encourage the personnel of the United States Forces Korea and United Nations Command member countries as well. He plans to reiterate that peace is the most secure form of national defense and present a blueprint for achieving self-reliant defense and defense reform.

In addition, President Lee will award the Chungmu Order of Military Merit to the late Lieutenant Colonel Kim Orang and the late Sergeant Jung Sunyeop, who devoted themselves and fell in the line of duty to safeguard national security and democracy. The presidential office explained that this is to honor their noble sacrifice and to reflect on the value of dedication to the nation.

Pre-ceremony events include a civilian-military Taekwondo demonstration, a traditional performance and honor guard demonstration by members of the armed forces. After the ceremony, activities such as an aerial fly-past, advanced maneuver demonstrations by the Black Eagles, and more are planned. Notably, there will be a demonstration of “Cheongwang,” a domestically developed counter-drone interception weapon.

This year’s Armed Forces Day celebration was held in conjunction with the “2026 Ground Forces Festival” and the “Gyeryong Military Culture Festival.” The event was organized as a festival for congratulating and paying tribute to service members, and to foster participation, communication, and enjoyment among both the public and the military. More than 3,600 guests, dignitaries, soldiers, their families, and public attendees participated in the event.

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