Late Response to Xi's Remarks on the 23rd... Foreign Ministry "Closely Monitoring Developments, Necessary Communication and Measures with China"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 23rd, regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarks referring to the Korean War (6.25 War) as the "War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (Hangmiwonjo) against American imperialist invasion," the South Korean government belatedly stated that "it is a clear historical fact that the war broke out due to North Korea's invasion of the South." President Xi's Hangmiwonjo remarks came for the first time in 20 years since former President Jiang Zemin in 2000.
On the 25th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to President Xi's remarks by saying, "The outbreak of the Korean War and related issues have already been internationally settled matters, and such clear historical facts cannot be changed," adding, "It is an undeniable historical fact that the Korean War broke out due to North Korea's invasion of the South." This position was announced two days after President Xi's remarks.
Meanwhile, the government maintained a 'low key' stance instead of expressing regret. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added, "Our government is closely monitoring related developments and is engaging in necessary communication and measures with the Chinese side regarding our concerns."
Earlier, on the 23rd at 10 a.m. (local time), President Xi attended an event at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and stated, "The great victory of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea will be forever engraved in the history books of the Chinese nation," adding, "It will also be forever engraved in the history of human peace, development, and progress." He further expressed gratitude on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the State Council, and the Military Commission to the veterans, bereaved families, and comrades who participated in the war.
China commemorates October 25, 1950, the date of its first victory against U.S. and South Korean forces during the Korean War, as a memorial day with annual events. This time, President Xi delivered a speech at the 70th anniversary event. It is the first time in 20 years since President Jiang Zemin in 2000 that a Chinese leader has given a direct speech at the Hangmiwonjo commemorative event.
President Xi particularly defined the U.S. northward invasion as the cause of the Korean War outbreak. He emphasized, "On October 19, 1950, under the leadership of Commander and Political Commissar Peng Dehuai, we entered the Korean battlefield," stressing that this was a just action by China. This statement underscores the justification for the Chinese military's participation in the Korean War and is interpreted as a remark targeting the United States. President Xi continued, "China's War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea was a war that demonstrated the status of the new great power of China not only in Asia but worldwide," and "It was a war that showed the firm determination of the Chinese people to protect world peace," he self-praised.
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