President Lee Jae-myung presented the government's vision and basic direction for restoring trust between North and South Korea, national unity, future-oriented cooperation in South Korea-Japan relations, and responses to the rapidly changing international order in his commemorative speech on the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day on the 15th.
In his commemorative address, President Lee noted, "Liberation Day is not just the day we achieved independence. It is the day we regained the freedom and rights to determine our future with our own hands and to choose our lives ourselves," emphasizing South Korea's achievements in both industrialization and democratization over the past 80 years.
He further reinterpreted the history of popular sovereignty that has continued from the anti-Japanese struggle to democratization and recent political changes by using the expression "the revolution of light," emphasizing that "to ensure that the light found through liberation is never taken away again, and that the light preserved from dictatorship and civil war does not extinguish again, let us all work together to protect it."
Regarding inter-Korean relations, he presented principles that the government must uphold when pursuing policies toward North Korea and unification.
President Lee stated, "Peace is the foundation of a secure daily life, the foundation of democracy, and a prerequisite for economic development," adding that "our government will consistently take measures for substantial tension reduction and trust restoration going forward."
He emphasized, "The South and North are not enemies," and defined the relationship as a special relationship that respects and acknowledges each other's systems while aiming for peaceful unification. He also expressed respect for the existing agreements, including the Basic Agreement between North and South Korea, and the June 15 Joint Declaration, the October 4 Declaration, the Panmunjom Declaration, and the September 19 Joint Declaration, stating, "We will respect the current North Korean system, not pursue any form of absorption unification, and make it clear that we do not intend to engage in any hostile acts."
In particular, he promised the proactive and phased restoration of the 'September 19 Military Agreement' and the resumption of exchanges and cooperation to substantially improve the lives of residents in the South and North. He also stated that he would expand cooperation with the international community for a "nuclear-free and peaceful Korean Peninsula."
President Lee emphasized the need to change the political culture of division and hatred. He remarked, "When we transform the dark energy of division and exclusion into the bright energy of inclusion, integration, and solidarity, our society will be able to leap towards a better future more significantly."
This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan. President Lee described Japan as "a neighbor and an important partner," stressing that "while we must face the past, we must also move towards the future." He continued, "I will seek to explore a path of future-oriented win-win cooperation with Japan through shuttle diplomacy based on the principle of practical diplomacy centered on national interests, meeting frequently and conversing frankly," and added, "I expect the Japanese government to strive to face the painful history of the past and ensure that trust between our two countries is not undermined."
Regarding the changes in the external economic and security environment, he noted that "the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations are just one wave," promising a "new leap into the next century" through fostering advanced scientific technology, accelerating energy transition, and strengthening cultural soft power.
Below is the full text of President Lee Jae-myung's commemorative speech on the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day
Dear 52 million citizens,
To the 7 million overseas compatriots,
And to the independence activists and their families,
80 years ago today, we reclaimed the light that was taken from us.
The light that brightly illuminated the entire Samchuly with joy
was not obtained easily.
It was achieved through an indomitable will for liberation and a strong desire for the restoration of sovereignty.
It was built through the sacrifices and dedication of countless individuals who burned themselves out.
Liberation Day is not just the day we achieved independence.
It is the day we defined our future with our own hands,
and regained the freedom and rights to choose our lives ourselves.
Over the past 80 years, our South Korea has achieved remarkable accomplishments.
It is the only country among those liberated from colonial rule that
simultaneously accomplished both industrialization and democratization,
and has risen to become a leading democratic nation with the 5th largest military power and the 10th largest economy.
The dream of a cultural powerhouse, which our esteemed Kim Gu envisioned, is also becoming a reality.
Now, people all over the world sing in our language,
enjoying our created content in movies, dramas, cartoons, literature, and more.
It was made possible by the passion of independence fighters and patriots who vowed to build a prosperous nation that would not be taken away again.
To remember the sacrifices of those who gave their all for everyone
is our rightful responsibility.
Let us honor the proud history of the anti-Japanese struggle,
and safeguarding the honor of independence activists
is the duty of preserving our community's past, present, and future.
It is now unacceptable to deny the history of the independence struggle and insult the independence activists.
If we turn a blind eye to those who sacrificed for all,
who will step forward for the community when another crisis arises?
As we grow in respect for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the community,
our community will become stronger.
Our government will appropriately commemorate the history of the independence struggle and ensure it is recorded,
and we will create this history together with our citizens.
We will extend our special respect to surviving patriots,
and will broaden the scope of compensation for the families of independence activists.
We will also actively promote the return of remains of overseas independence activists,
and will strive to ensure that all receive proper respect.
Dear respected and beloved citizens,
Our tumultuous history has been a long process leading to the "revolution of light."
It has been a continuous struggle to reclaim the lost light and to protect that light.
The great spirit of the March 1st Movement led to the establishment of a provisional government,
spreading across the three thousand ri of the Korean Peninsula to the entire world,
kindling the flames of the independence struggle.
Finally, we have reclaimed the light.
Even in the deep despair of division and war,
our citizens have not lost hope,
and have protected the precious light even in the harsh cold of dictatorship.
Through the April 19 Revolution, the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and the June 10 Democracy Movement,
we have brightly illuminated the light of democracy,
with two bloodless peaceful revolutions that have no precedent in world history,
declaring to the world that this land is a democratic republic where popular sovereignty lives.
The "revolution of light" that began at the end of last year and continues into this year
was a moment of emotion, shining like the dazzling lights of support that Tagore sang about, the 'lamp of the East.'
We realized the importance of light because there is darkness,
and we were able to summon the courage to confront the darkness because there is light.
Let's ensure that the light found through liberation is never taken away again,
and that the light preserved from dictatorship and civil war does not extinguish again.
Let us all protect it together.
That is the true completion of the "revolution of light,"
and I believe it is the path to responding to the noble sacrifices of our ancestors.
Dear citizens,
Our ancestors dreamed of a prosperous nation, a world where we live well together,
even amidst hardships.
They implored for peace in the East even as they faced death,
and longed for the power of high culture despite the pain of invasion.
However, the unexpected division became an obstacle to this earnest desire.
The division system not only severed our territory,
but also has become a massive barrier dividing our people.
Forces that pursue personal interests have used division as an excuse
to endlessly split the people and divide public opinion.
They not only suppress democracy and restrict popular sovereignty,
but even audacity to drive our people into the ravages of war.
There should be no more hesitation.
Now we must break down the barriers within ourselves.
Only then can we move toward the nation our ancestors desired.
With hatred and loathing, confrontation and conflict will not solve anything,
and will only serve to threaten our people's lives and democracy.
This has been the painful lesson we have gained over the past 80 years.
When we transform the dark energy of division and exclusion
into the bright energy of inclusion, integration, and solidarity,
our society will be able to leap into a better future.
Our citizens have always united as one before a crisis,
surpassing small differences.
It was our people who overcame the sorrow of losing our country and fought to achieve independence,
who turned the ruins of war into dazzling industrialization,
who overcame the IMF foreign exchange crisis through gold collecting,
and who preserved the constitutional order during the armed uprising.
This was indeed our citizens.
However, unfortunately, our politics
has not met the expectations and standards of our citizens.
Now we must also change the political culture.
Politics must restore its function of pursuing the public good rather than self-interest,
and only when we end this abnormal situation where citizens are worried about politics
will the barriers of conflict and hatred that have settled within us finally disappear.
Breaking away from the politics of division based on outdated ideologies and factions,
let's work together to create politics based on conversation and concession.
I reiterate this proposal and urge you from this place.
A prosperous country that our ancestors aspired to, and a country where we live well together,
a true democratic republic where popular sovereignty is fully realized,
let us join hands and move towards that together.
Dear respected citizens,
The ongoing confrontation between the North and South due to division
threatens our lives, hinders economic development,
and poses a serious obstacle to the future of our country.
It is time to break free from outdated Cold War thinking and confrontation
and to open a new era of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
We all know too well that the continuation of hostilities brings no benefit to anyone among the residents of the North and South.
We have already experienced too harshly what disasters arise when peace is shaken.
Peace is the foundation of a secure daily life,
the foundation of democracy,
and a prerequisite for economic development.
Rather than winning through conflict, winning without fighting,
creating a state where there is no need to fight, isn't making peace the most important thing?
The ongoing dialogue between the South and North, despite many ups and downs,
was completely cut off throughout the last government.
The more tangled the thread, the more patience we need to unravel it step by step.
Before speaking of a distant future,
it is only natural to start with restoring trust and dialogue.
Trust is built through actions, not words.
From the first day of the Popular Sovereignty government,
we have taken measures such as stopping leaflet distribution and halting loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North.
In the future, our government will consistently take measures for substantial tension reduction and trust restoration.
The South and North are not enemies.
The South and North respect and acknowledge each other's systems
and we have defined it as a special relationship that aims for peaceful unification.
The spirit contained in the Basic Agreement between North and South Korea
is the spirit that permeates all agreements between the North and South.
Our government will respect the existing agreements,
and will implement what is feasible immediately.
First, we will respect the current North Korean system,
we will not pursue any form of absorption unification,
and I clearly state that we have no intention of engaging in any hostile acts.
In particular, to prevent accidental clashes and build military trust between the North and South,
we will proactively and gradually restore the 'September 19 Military Agreement.'
Furthermore, based on the principles of mutual benefit and reciprocity,
we will work to improve the practical lives of North and South residents.
We will restore the foundation for exchanges and cooperation and create conditions for joint growth.
This year, being the 80th anniversary of liberation, is the right time to end the era of confrontation and hostility,
and I believe it is the right time to open a new era of peaceful coexistence and joint growth on the Korean Peninsula.
I will await patiently and hope that the North responds to the path of restoring trust and reviving dialogue.
On one hand, a peaceful Korean Peninsula is a 'nuclear-free Korean Peninsula,'
and one that is based on friendly cooperation with neighboring countries.
I recognize that denuclearization is a complex and very difficult task that cannot be resolved in the short term.
Through North-South dialogue and U.S.-North dialogue along with cooperation from the international community,
we will seek clues for peaceful resolution.
And I will work to broaden the international community's support and consensus for the development of peace and inter-Korean relations.
Dear citizens,
This year marks the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan.
It is time to exercise wisdom in facing the past while moving towards the future.
The South Korea-Japan relationship has always been important and challenging due to our long, tumultuous history.
There are still many who suffer from historical issues beside us.
There are also major conflicts of differing perspectives.
At the same time, we must remember the dreams of independence activists.
Even while resisting the harsh rule of Japanese colonialism,
we must carry on the earnest wishes of those ancestors who did not abandon hope that one day South Korea and Japan could become true neighbors.
Japan is our neighbor with whom we share the same yard and
is an essential partner in economic growth.
60 years ago, when the diplomatic normalization between South Korea and Japan occurred,
the number of exchanges between our two countries was only about 10,000.
Now we have entered an era of 12 million exchanges annually.
Our national power has also grown to an extent that cannot be compared to that time.
As South Korea and Japan have grown together during the process of industrial development,
when our two countries cooperate for the future based on trust,
we will surely be able to overcome the challenges of the era of super-gap artificial intelligence together.
Based on the principle of practical diplomacy centered on national interests,
I will seek to meet often and converse frankly with Japan through shuttle diplomacy.
Trust, the thicker it becomes, naturally enhances the quality of cooperation.
I hope that the Japanese government will face the painful history of the past
and strive to ensure that trust between the two countries is not harmed.
I believe that at such a time, greater mutual benefits and a better future will unfold for both sides.
Dear sovereign citizens of South Korea,
We are all currently in a great whirlpool of change.
We must navigate wisely through the rapid changes in supply chain restructuring and trade order,
the industrial transition due to competition in advanced technology,
and the complex crisis of energy transition caused by climate crisis.
We must successfully overcome these challenges.
The Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations are just a wave.
There will be many more waves crashing in the future.
If we cannot adequately respond to rapid changes in the order,
the future of our nation will be shaken, and our people's lives will be threatened.
If we do not keep up with the changing international situation,
we cannot repeat the mistakes of the past where we were crushed among the great powers and ultimately lost our rights as a nation.
We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the year 1905.
The year 2025 must be different from that year.
Will we be swept away by the high waves and shipwrecked,
or will we turn our crises into opportunities and leap forward?
That entirely depends on our current selves.
If we lag behind by one step, we will become a weary pursuer.
But if we move even half a step ahead, we will be the pioneers who enjoy infinite opportunities.
By nurturing advanced scientific technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence,
we must actively respond to changes.
By accelerating energy transitions, including energy highways,
we must forge ahead into the future.
We must further refine our culture
and lead the world with our soft power.
Only then can we embrace the new leap into the next century.
Though the path may be untraveled,
we can achieve it just as we have done before.
The light of self-reliant independence reclaimed by our ancestors,
the light of democracy that our citizens have achieved,
will serve as the guiding light that illuminates our future.
If the great strength of our citizens is once again unleashed,
just as we have walked without losing our way through the darkness,
we will be able to find our path forward without getting lost.
A South Korea that leads the world,
a nation full of peace and prosperity,
a country where the light of popular sovereignty does not extinguish,
Citizens, let us move forward together.
Thank you.
전적으로 현재의 우리 자신들에게 달려 있습니다.
한걸음 뒤처지면 고단한 추격자 신세가 되겠지만
힘들더라도 반걸음 앞서가면 무한한 기회를 누리는 선도자가 될 것입니다.
반도체, 인공지능 등 첨단과학 기술을 육성하여
변화에 적극 대응해야 합니다.
에너지 고속도로를 비롯한 에너지 전환의 속도를 높여
미래를 앞장서 열어가야 합니다.
우리의 문화도 더욱 갈고 닦아
소프트 파워로 세계를 선도해야 합니다.
그럴 때 비로소 우리는 새로운 100년의 도약을 맞이할 수 있을 것입니다.
가보지 않은 길이지만,
우리는 지금까지 해왔던 것처럼 얼마든지 해낼 수 있습니다.
우리 선조들이 되찾은 자주독립의 빛이,
우리 국민이 이룬 민주주의의 빛이,
우리 앞날을 밝히는 길잡이가 되어 줄 것이기 때문입니다.
위대한 우리 국민의 저력이 다시 발휘된다면,
어둠 속에서도 길을 잃지 않고 걸어왔던 것처럼,
우리가 나아갈 길도 잃지 않고 찾아갈 수 있을 것입니다.
세계를 선도하는 대한민국,
평화와 번영이 가득한 나라,
국민주권의 빛이 꺼지지 않는 나라로
국민 여러분, 함께 나아 갑시다.
감사합니다.