President Lee Holds "Conversation with Displaced Residents" on October 3
"Inter-Korean Relations Completely Severed, Greatest Responsibility Lies with Politics"
President Lee Jae-myung is talking with displaced persons while looking at the area of Kaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, at the Ganghwa Peace Observatory in Ganghwa County, Incheon, on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
On October 3, President Lee Jae-myung began his first official schedule of the Chuseok holiday by meeting and offering words of comfort to displaced residents and their families whose hometowns are in North Korea. After his conversation with the displaced residents, President Lee proposed to the North that the issue of separated families should be resolved on humanitarian grounds.
During the "Conversation with Displaced Residents" event held that morning at the Ganghwa Peace Observatory in Ganghwa County, Incheon, President Lee stated, "I want to convey to the North that I hope they can consider these heartbreaking circumstances from a humanitarian perspective." He emphasized, "Even if there is confrontation and conflict, it is the responsibility of politics to ensure that separated families in the South and North can at least confirm each other's well-being or exchange letters."
President Lee continued, "Regardless of any other area, I sincerely hope that at least confirming the status of separated families and enabling minimal communication will make progress." He added, "Many are elderly and there is not much time left, but the government will do its utmost to improve the situation as much as possible."
President Lee Jae-myung is speaking during a conversation with displaced residents at the Ganghwa Peace Observatory in Ganghwa County, Incheon, on the first day of the Chuseok holiday on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News
Displaced residents and their families who participated in the event also appealed for the need to confirm the status of separated family members and to enable at least minimal communication. Jeong Hae-sik, whose hometown is Yeonbaek County in Hwanghae Province, said, "It has been over 40 years since I applied for the separated family program," and requested, "I hope we can be informed of our family members' status within five years." Choi Jang-pyeong also expressed, "I hope that, while I am still alive, I can visit North Korea even once to see my family members," adding, "I would be very grateful if opportunities could be created to exchange letters, at the very least."
President Lee responded, "If there were even a chance to meet, live together for a while, and then return, there would be nothing more to wish for." However, he analyzed, "Currently, inter-Korean relations are completely severed, and the situation is very bad. The relationship has become far too hostile." He pointed out, "The greatest responsibility lies with politics."
President Lee also remarked, "It is truly heartbreaking to see all of you who have endured decades after being separated from your families," and continued, "Animals can freely cross rivers and fly wherever they wish, but only humans keep drawing lines and threatening harm if those lines are crossed, pointing guns at each other for decades. It is truly regrettable."
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