South Korea's President Lee calls for lasting peace on 75th anniversary of Korean War
SEOUL, June 25 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for establishing lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula Wednesday as the country commemorated the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
"Creating a country that will never experience war again is the right way to respond to the sacrifices and dedication of so many people," Lee wrote in a Facebook post.
"The most certain form of security is a state where there is no need to fight -- in other words, creating peace," he wrote. "The era of relying solely on military power to protect the country is over. What matters more than winning a war is preventing one."
The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean troops invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel -- a story that UPI Seoul bureau manager Jack James was the first in the world to report.
The United States and 20 other countries fought on the side of South Korea under the U.S.-led United Nations Command. The conflict ended in a ceasefire three years later and left millions dead, including more than 36,000 U.S. soldiers.
Lee paid respects to fallen soldiers and veterans in his statement, saying that modern South Korea's transformation into a global economic powerhouse would have been impossible without their sacrifices.
"Today's Republic of Korea was not created on its own," he wrote, using the official name of South Korea. "It was made possible through the sacrifices and dedication of the soldiers who defended the battlefield, the veterans and their families, and all our citizens who endured the scars of war."
"I pledge to firmly establish a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula so that the economy can be stabilized and the people can live secure and safe lives," he added.
Lee, who won a snap election on June 3 to replace impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, campaigned on improving frayed inter-Korean relations. He has vowed to restore a military pact aimed at defusing military tensions along the border and reestablish a communications hotline with Seoul's recalcitrant neighbor.
Earlier this month, Lee ordered the suspension of propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts across the DMZ to North Korea in a bid to reduce tensions with Pyongyang.
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