After the Ceremony, Shared Reflections... Expressed Regret Mentioning 'Cheongchun'
President Yoon Showed Great Interest in Security Including Cheonan Before Political Declaration
On the 24th, during the 8th 'West Sea Defense Day' commemorative ceremony, President Yoon Suk-yeol, who choked up while calling out the names of the West Sea warriors, was reported to have said, "How can one maintain composure when thinking of the soldiers who died at such a young age?" President Yoon also told his aides that when he looked at the birth and death dates of the soldiers engraved on the back of the tombstones, "I cried a lot in my heart."
Lee Do-woon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, held a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul on the afternoon of the 26th and conveyed this, saying, "The media and the public showed great interest in the West Sea Defense Day commemorative ceremony."
After the event, President Yoon said at a luncheon, "This was my second visit to the cemetery, and each time I looked at the birth and death dates on the tombstones, I cried a lot in my heart." The spokesperson explained, "When President Yoon previously received reports related to the roll call, he expressed sorrow, saying, 'The fallen soldiers were 19 or 20 years old, in the prime of their youth.'"
Before declaring his political intentions, President Yoon had shown great interest in security by meeting with Jeon Jun-young, the president of the Cheonan ship survivors' reserve comrades association, and by taking walks wearing a Cheonan ship cap. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs reportedly planned the 'roll call' as a way to maximize President Yoon's commitment. The ministry was inspired by the late William Weber, a retired U.S. Army colonel and Korean War hero, who in 2015 called out the names of 36,574 U.S. soldiers who died in the Korean War over three days at the Korean War Veterans Memorial Park in Washington D.C., and planned this event accordingly.
At the commemorative ceremony that day, President Yoon stated, "We will forever remember the 55 heroes who heroically sacrificed their lives in response to North Korea's armed provocations." Before his commemorative speech, President Yoon personally called out the names of the 55 warriors. He choked up as he said, "Calling out someone's name because you cannot forget them is a vow to remember them forever. I will call out the names of the 55 eternal Sea Warriors whose dream was to protect the nation and its people so that we can run toward our dreams and spend happy days laughing with our families."
In particular, President Yoon emphasized "North Korea's armed provocations" by mentioning the Battle of Yeonpyeong, the Battle of Daecheong, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling. Voices warning against North Korea's repeated provocations were also raised. President Yoon said, "We will drastically strengthen the Korean-style three-axis system in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile advancements and provocations, and further solidify security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan," adding, "North Korea's reckless provocations will surely be met with consequences."
Former President Moon Jae-in attended the West Sea Defense Day commemorative ceremonies during his term but never stated that the Cheonan ship sinking was North Korea's act. In the 2020 ceremony, when asked by a Cheonan ship bereaved family member, "Who was responsible for the Cheonan ship sinking?" former President Moon only replied, "Our government's position remains unchanged."
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