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Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon sent the message that North Korea must stop its advancements in nuclear and missile technology “if it respects the June 15 Joint Declaration [of 2000] and the October 4 Inter-Korean Summit Statement [of 2007]

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon sent the message that North Korea must stop its advancements in nuclear and missile technology “if it respects the June 15 Joint Declaration [of 2000] and the October 4 Inter-Korean Summit Statement [of 2007].”

Lee’s remarks came on the 67th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War.

“The gunfire may have stopped on July 27, 1953, but the Korean War is not over,” Lee said at a commemorative ceremony for the 67th anniversary of the war’s outbreak held by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans‘ Affairs at Seoul’s Jamsil Arena on the morning of June 25.

“Even until recently, North Korea has not stopped with its ballistic missile launches and other provocations,” Lee noted, stressing that North Korea “must enter the path of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

North Korea has called numerous times for execution of the terms of existing inter-Korean agreements like the June 15 Joint Declaration since President Moon Jae-in took office. Yet Lee’s remarks called for Pyongyang’s denuclearization if it “respects” that declaration and the October 4 Summit Statement.

Lee went on to note that the international community was “enraged over the recent death of American Otto Warmbier.”

“North Korea must immediately release the South Koreans and US citizens it has under detention,” he said.

Lee also insisted “must respect human rights.”

Lee further expressed thanks to Korean War veterans and their family members for their dedication.

“The Moon Jae-in administration will honor as invaluable those people who dedicated themselves to their homeland,” he said, adding that the administration would “work to ensure they receive appropriate treatment for the sacrifices they made.”

Lee also said the administration would “work to recover the remains of those who fell in battle.”

“We will make sure to record and remember their names,” he pledged.

“We will never forget that sincere repayment for patriotic service is the cornerstone of strong security.”

By Kim Ji-eun, staff reporter

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