President Lee Jae-myung said Sunday that "the June 15 inter-Korean summit and the inter-Korean joint declaration were the starting point for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," emphasizing his commitment to carrying forward the June 15 Joint Declaration as it marked its 26th anniversary.
President Lee made the remarks in a commemorative address read on his behalf by Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik at a ceremony marking the 26th anniversary of the June 15 inter-Korean summit, held at the Kim Dae-jung Library at Yonsei University in Seoul. "(The June 15 Joint Declaration) was a precious promise to advance inter-Korean relations and achieve peaceful unification through exchange and cooperation, based on understanding and respect for each other," President Lee said. "The people's sovereignty government is carrying forward that spirit through action, not words."
He went on to say, "We humbly acknowledge that despite our government's efforts to resume dialogue and cooperation, the door to inter-Korean dialogue is not opening easily." Still, he stressed, "We cannot be disappointed by temporary difficulties or give up and sit down."
President Lee assessed that "peaceful coexistence is the only way for both Koreas to achieve mutual prosperity," adding that "peace on the Korean Peninsula is a common interest for Northeast Asia and the entire world." He then pledged, "We must turn changes in the international situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula into a new opportunity for shared prosperity," promising, "Just as the two Koreas did 26 years ago, we will do our best to sit down together again and continue dialogue."
President Lee, who is on an official visit to the Vatican, also said at a special Mass held at St. Paul's Basilica on Saturday, "The June 15 Joint Declaration was a historic turning point that announced to the entire world the possibility of dialogue and cooperation beyond long-standing hostility and tension." He added, "I am still convinced that the embers of that hope are alive."
