Han Dong-hoon, the former representative of the People Power Party, visited the National Daejeon Memorial Cemetery on the 25th, a day before the 15th anniversary of the Cheonan sinking, and said, “The Republic of Korea must be a country that remembers the heroes of the Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Sea battles until the end.” As the impending ruling on the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol raises speculation about early presidential elections, it is interpreted that he is continuing his presidential ambitions targeting the conservative base while focusing on the 'security' issue.
On this day, the former representative visited the heroes' cemetery for the 46 Cheonan heroes in the National Daejeon Memorial Cemetery located in Yuseong District, Daejeon. In the guestbook, he wrote, “I respect the heroes of the Cheonan.”
After his visit, he met with reporters and stated, “The Republic of Korea must be a country that remembers the heroes of the Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Sea battles until the end,” and explained, “I made a commitment to honor them here, one day before the 15th anniversary of the Cheonan.”
He added, “We all must remember those who died in the Yeonpyeong Sea battle and the Cheonan incident. That is how we elevate our national dignity.”
In response to a question about whether the memorial visit is part of his presidential campaign, the former representative said, “Since I became the (Justice) Minister, I have continued to come (to the memorial),” and added, “I will emphasize veterans' rights as a fundamental principle of governance.” Previously, he has maintained an 'security' focus, attending public events related to the Second Yeonpyeong Sea battle, including watching a play on the issue on the 2nd.
The former representative also commented on the appeal ruling of the public office election law violation case against Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stating, “Justice must be served,” and added, “Many people will be watching the process of justice being realized.”
On this day, Han Dong-hoon's visit to the Daejeon Memorial Cemetery included People Power Party lawmakers Han Ji-a, Woo Jae-jun, and Jeong Seong-guk.
Rep. Ko Dong-jin, known for his pro-China stance, today proposed a draft amendment to the Veterans Support Law that would recognize the veterans of the First Yeonpyeong Sea battle as national heroes. The proposal aims to allow individuals who have been discharged with 'post-traumatic stress disorder' while performing duties defined by presidential decree during combat or similar operations to be recognized as national heroes based on a comprehensive evaluation of the nature and circumstances of their duties at the time and the indirect impact on social activities thereafter.
The former representative noted, “The situation continues where the sacrifices of those harmed in the First Yeonpyeong Sea battle and thereafter are not recognized. This is extremely wrong. They must be honored with the highest respect,” mentioning the proposed law.