Former President Moon Jae-in, addressing the recent war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, said, "The international community must urgently join forces to restrain the use of force to the greatest extent and resolve the issue through diplomacy and peace."
Moon attended a dinner hosted by the Pacific Century Institute (PCI) on the 5th (local time) as the guest of honor and said, "The use of force results in innocent casualties and leads to a vicious cycle of hatred and retaliation, which in turn poses an even greater threat to peace and security."
Moon went on to say, "What we should desire without end is only the 'power of high culture,' and the power of culture is a moral force that embraces the other," adding, "Let us not forget that a truly strong nation derives its strength not from physical power but from moral superiority and the courage to uphold universal values of humanity."
He added, "We are living in a grave era in which tensions are mounting and the voices of confrontation and hatred are growing louder, and we are facing a crisis in which the order of universal cooperation is collapsing," and, "The only key to overcoming this crisis is to return to the fundamental values of 'peace through dialogue' and 'inclusion and cooperation.'"
He also said, "Across the globe, extreme camp logic and hatred are undermining the values of democracy," and, "By placing universal human values first and choosing inclusion over exclusion and integration over conflict, let us heal the maladies of our time—populism and extremism—and build a mature community in which we all live together."
Meanwhile, Moon's trip to the United States was made at the invitation of the RAND Corporation, an American policy think tank, and the Pacific Century Institute (PCI). It is his first visit to the United States since leaving office.