The 68th Anniversary Memorial Day Speech
My fellow citizens of Incheon
and the 35,000 Incheon veterans' families,
on this solemn 68th Memorial Day,
we gather to honor the great men
who sacrificed their lives for our country.
Today is a day to remember the pain and wounds
our people have experienced throughout history,
a day to reflect on the dedication and courage of heroes
who sacrificed their lives for freedom and justice,
and a day to recall the values of peace and freedom.
June 6th
is a day to properly remember
the legacy of dedication to the nation.
We pay tribute to the great dedication of patriotic martyrs and heroes
who sacrificed everything for their country
and pray for their peaceful rest.
We extend our condolences to the bereaved families
who sacrificed their loved ones for our motherland
and whose longing remains buried in their hearts.
We are well aware that
the precious freedom and peace of daily life that we enjoy today
were hard-earned.
The blood and sweat shed by our martyrs and heroes
in defense of freedom and peace laid the foundation for the Republic of Korea,
which is envied by people all over the world.
If it weren’t for those
who sacrificed themselves for the country and community,
we would never have achieved it.
My fellow 3 million Incheon citizens,
The Overseas Koreans Agency,
the capital and heartland of overseas Koreans,
opened in Incheon yesterday.
Immigrants who left Incheon 120 years ago
now reunite in Incheon, South Korea,
with 7.5 million Koreans living abroad.
Incheon will soar from a city of 3 million
to a city of 10 million in tandem with overseas Koreans.
Hosting the Overseas Koreans Agency is a pivotal step in Incheon's journey
toward becoming a world-class city.
In the future, Incheon will undergo significant transformations,
including the underground development of the Gyeongin Subway and Gyeongin Expressway,
making them more accessible and familiar to citizens.
The original downtown area, centered on the Incheon Inner Port,
will be the driving force behind Korea's future economy
as it becomes the focal point of a large-scale project.
Incheon is also home to world-class bio and semiconductor companies,
positioning us to lead in Korea's growth industries.
The future of the Republic of Korea will start in Incheon,
and we will build this future together with our citizens.
My fellow citizens,
The dedication and sacrifice of our ancestors span multiple eras,
and it's their sacrifices that have shaped the Korea of today.
We cannot adequately repay this debt of gratitude.
Mere remembrance and thankfulness for the sacrifices of our heroes
are insufficient.
It is our solemn responsibility to carry forward the spirit of unwavering dedication
to our nation that our country's heroes exemplified
and to persist on the path they envisioned.
Moreover,
there exists a fundamental belief
that patriotic heroes endeavored to safeguard through their sacrifices.
The belief that our children will live in a safer country,
and the belief that our descendants will live in a greater country.
Our duty is to build a stronger Republic of Korea
in order to honor that trust,
and the capability to lead a more robust Republic of Korea resides within us here in Incheon.
Security forms the bedrock of a nation,
and Incheon stands as the premier security zone encompassing border regions,
including the five islands in the West Sea.
Currently, North Korea poses a daily missile threat to the peace
that our forebears diligently safeguarded.
To preserve peace, it is imperative
that we fortify our reverence for our nation's heroes.
Their immense dedication deserves a fitting and substantial tribute.
We are dedicated to increasing the significance of Incheon as a city that stands for patriots and veterans,
a designation made in 2017 to promote peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
Incheon will take the initiative in advancing a stronger Republic of Korea
by establishing a comprehensive veterans' welfare center, augmenting veterans' allowances,
showing due reverence to veterans and their families, and extending tangible support.
Esteemed citizens of Incheon,
Men of national merit, and bereaved families,
As June, the season of verdant renewal, unfolds,
I find myself reflecting once more upon the ardent spirits of those
who dedicated themselves to our beloved nation.
Even at this moment, there exist individuals
who wholeheartedly commit themselves to the welfare of our nation.
I wish to convey my deepest gratitude to all the heroes of our nation,
including our servicemen and women, police officers, and firefighters.
Our proud heroes, your names will forever be remembered in our history.
I wish to extend my heartfelt greetings, replete with gratitude and respect,
to the patriotic souls who have made this day a reality.
Their memory shall forever reside in my heart.
Thank you.
