President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over the 73rd anniversary of the D-Day landing operation on Sept. 15 aboard the Navy’s landing ship Nojeongbong, sailing through the channels of Incheon Harbor. This is the first time that a sitting president has presided over the event, and the first time that both the ceremony and the landing demonstration were held on a moving ship.
During the ceremony, the President paid tribute to the veterans of the Korean War who sacrificed their lives to protect the freedom of the Republic of Korea in the past, and thanked the members of the ROK Armed Forces, U.S. Forces Korea, and U.N. Forces Korea for their dedication to protecting democracy and peace in Korea.
The president called the Incheon landing operation, which had a 1 in 5,000 chances of success, “a historic operation that prevented the communization of the Korean Peninsula and a great victory for the world’s warriors.”
“The unwavering courage and sacrifice of our soldiers the driving force behind our victory,” the President said, referring to the late PFC Shin Dong-soo, who impressed General MacArthur by vowing to “never retreat” from the Han River defense line, and the late U.S. Marine Lieutenant Lopez, who died while blocking an enemy’s hand grenade with his body at the head of the Incheon landing.
“The freedom and peace that we have cherished are now being challenged,” the President said, noting that North Korea has become more outspoken in its military threats, including publicly threatening to strike the Republic of Korea as it advances its nuclear and missile capabilities. “Communist forces, their followers, and anti-state force are threatening our liberal democracy with fabrications and propaganda,” he said.
In response, the President emphasized that “We will build peace through strength and defend liberal democracy based on a strong national defense,” and that “we will build an unshakable security posture based on a strong ROK-U.S. joint defense posture in solidarity with friendly countries that share the universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.”
“For the first time as president of the Republic of Korea, I attended an event to commemorate the Incheon landing,” the president said. “The Incheon landing is a proud history of the victory of liberal democracy over communist totalitarianism and a valuable asset for the free world to remember.”
“I hope that the anniversary of the Incheon landing will become an international event where citizens of the world can remember the indomitable courage, fighting spirit, and sacrifice of the Korean and UN forces in the face of the communist aggression, and sing for a future of peace and prosperity,” the president concluded.
At the ceremony, Marine Corps Reserve Colonel Seo Geun Lee, 101, delivered a video recollection of the tense situation during the landings. “I was the officer on duty that day,” he said, adding that when the landing started, he thought, “We’re really going up now, and I ran even though I knew I would die if I didn’t do it right.”
He expressed his hope that South Korea will become a more developed country and a good country in the future. After watching the video, the attendees responded with loud applause, expressing their gratitude to the heroes who defended their country.
Following the ceremony, a demonstration of the Incheon landing was held, starting with a report on the completion of the landing operation by Commander Kim Young-soo of the ROK Amphibious Forces.
The ships of the ROK Marado, the Canadian Vancouver, and the USS America joined in the parade, adding to the meaning of the event. The President encouraged the soldiers by saluting the ROK Navy’s naval parade.
The ceremony was attended by Secretary of Defense Lee Jong-seop, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Admiral Park Chung-hwan, Vice Admiral Lee Jong-ho, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Navy, Admiral Paul J. LaCamera, Commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ahn Byung-seok, and Commandant of the Marine Corps Kim Kye-hwan.
