The 70th Memorial Day Commemoration

Honored three million citizens of Incheon,

and the 35,000 patriotic families who have lived each day with longing. 

On this, the 70th Memorial Day,

I bow my head in deep respect and pray for peaceful rest 

for the patriotic martyrs and fallen heroes

who gave everything for the Republic of Korea.

I also extend my heartfelt condolences and gratitude to the bereaved families

who entrusted their beloved family members to our nation

and have carried that longing in their hearts ever since.

Honored citizens,

when our country was in crisis,

it was ordinary neighbors and everyday families 

who stepped forward for the nation before anyone else.

Thanks to them, we are able to enjoy a peaceful Incheon 

and a free Republic of Korea today.

Incheon is a city built upon the blood and tears of countless heroes 

who gave their lives for the nation’s security and independence.

Especially at every critical turning point in the modern 

and contemporary history of the Republic of Korea,

Incheon has steadfastly defended our country as a bastion of national protection.

The Incheon Landing Operation (Operation Chromite)

announced to the world the birth of a free Republic of Korea, 

and whenever our country faced danger, countless citizens, soldiers, 

and police answered the call of the nation and gave their lives.

That noble sacrifice lives on in the history of Incheon,

and even now, at this very moment, it is deeply engraved in our hearts.

Beloved and respected three million citizens of Incheon,

today is a day for us to once again remember and reaffirm

how we will uphold the values of freedom and peace handed down to us

through sacred sacrifice and dedication.

To honor the freedom and peace, justice and prosperity 

that our forebears sought to pass on to us, 

and to uphold our resolve never to repeat the tragedy of war, 

is the most noble act of patriotism we can carry out today.

We must build a greater Republic of Korea,

and that strength now begins here in Incheon, as we leap toward the future.

Incheon is about to undergo many changes.

The Gyeongin Railway and Gyeongin Expressway, which once ran through Incheon,

will be transformed through underground development 

into spaces that are friendly and familiar to citizens.

The Incheon Inner Port and the old downtown

will be reborn as central pillars driving the future economy of the Republic of Korea.

Incheon, home to global leaders in bio and semiconductor industries,

is emerging as a city at the forefront of the Republic of Korea’s key growth sectors.

The future of the Republic of Korea will begin in Incheon,

and all of these changes will be made together with our citizens.

Going forward, Incheon will soar from a city of three million

to a city of ten million, together with overseas compatriots.

Already, Incheon International Airport, Incheon Port, 

and the Incheon Free Economic Zone have become gateways

 for people around the world to come to Incheon

and for the Republic of Korea to engage with the world.

Now, Incheon is advancing as a leading city in Asia,

building an economic community 

that unites major maritime cities across Asia

in economic, social, and cultural cooperation.

Honored citizens, and families of patriots and veterans,

The City of Incheon will continue to uphold and 

elevate the values of “Incheon, City of Patriots and Veterans,” 

which was declared in 2017 for the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula. 

Honoring patriots and veterans is the most powerful act of patriotism, 

as it sustains us today and prepares us for tomorrow.

Remembering and honoring the noble dedication of our national heroes

is our solemn duty as descendants of this land.

Only when there is faith in our country,

and when our patriots and their families can take pride in their sacrifices,

does our nation truly become worthy of its name.

Honored citizens of Incheon, and families of patriots and veterans,

together with you, I and the City of Incheon will carry on 

the legacy of our patriotic martyrs and fallen heroes,

striving to create a city where citizens are safe, 

where we look out for one another, and where justice truly thrives. 

To the bereaved families, we will always show the utmost respect and honor,

and we will spare no effort to ensure that our descendants learn from

and carry on that noble spirit.

Even now, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the police officers and firefighters

who serve on the front lines to protect the security and safety of our nation and citizens,

and I pay the highest respect to the members of the armed forces

and those serving in overseas deployments,

who are protecting our country in the prime of their lives.

You are our proud heroes, and your names 

will be remembered forever in our history.

Once again, I offer my deepest gratitude and remembrance 

before the altar of our patriotic martyrs and fallen heroes,

and I pray for their eternal rest.