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South Korea President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook raise South Korean flags along with other attendees at an event at Culture Station 248 in Seoul on Sunday celebrating the 76th anniversary of Korea’s liberation. (Blue House photo pool)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in called on North Korea to help him achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and lasting peace on the peninsula during a speech Sunday celebrating the 76th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.

In comments directed toward Japan, Moon noted the “bold and inclusive sense of history” exhibited by Koreans shortly after their liberation. But rather than personally offering any concrete proposals, Moon appeared to focus on laying out the main principles of policy toward North Korea and Japan that South Korea should pursue in the future, likely out of the awareness that only eight months remain in his presidency.

Moon delivered his remarks at Culture Station Seoul 284 — the former home of Seoul Station.

“Division is the biggest obstacle blocking our growth and prosperity and simultaneously a tenacious barrier to permanent peace,” Moon said. “Although unification may take some more time, we can create a Korean Peninsula model in which the two Koreas coexist and contribute to the prosperity of Northeast Asia as a whole through denuclearization and permanent peace on the Peninsula.”

“In 1990, East and West Germany achieved unification after 45 years of division. East and West Germany built trust by exchanging good faith and intentions. They created a ‘German model’ that pursues universalism, pluralism, coexistence and co-prosperity,” Moon said earlier in the speech, hinting at his determination to create a “Korean model” under which South and North Korea can also contribute to regional development through peaceful coexistence.

In addition, Moon called on Koreans to “tirelessly envision peace on the Korean Peninsula” and not give up on the dream of unifying the Korean Peninsula in peace and prosperity, no matter how difficult their circumstances become.

Moon used his final Liberation Day speech as president to unveil the new vision of a “Korean Peninsula model” based on the three keywords of inter-Korean coexistence, the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and lasting peace.

While there had been considerable interest in what message Moon might send to Japan, his remarks didn’t contain any new proposal that could break through the current impasse.

“Since normalizing diplomatic relations [in 1965], Korea and Japan have long been able to achieve economic growth together through a division of labor and cooperation based on the shared values of democracy and a market economy,” Moon said, adding that “our government has always kept the door open for dialogue.”

But Moon’s remarks remained fairly abstract. “For historical issues that need to be rectified, we will resolve them through actions and practices that are consistent with universal values and the standards of the international community,” he said.

Moon had expressed his determination to improve bilateral relations in an earlier speech marking the March 1 Movement.

“I am confident that if we put our heads together in the spirit of trying to understand each other’s perspectives, we will also be able to wisely resolve issues of the past,” he said at the time.

Moon has apparently concluded there’s little chance of finding an opportunity to turn the situation around before the end of his presidency, given his unsuccessful attempt to use the Tokyo Olympics, which concluded on Aug. 8, as a chance to improve relations with either Japan or North Korea.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga isn’t confident of retaining control of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party in the election scheduled for September. For his part, Moon, who is running out of time in office, isn’t in a position to make a bold political decision about outstanding issues with Japan, including Koreans forced into heavy labor and sexual slavery by the Japanese imperial army.

Nevertheless, Moon quoted from a speech made by Ahn Jae-hong, vice chairman of the Preparatory Committee for National Construction, to make clear his opposition toward “an exclusive or hostile form of nationalism.”

Moon noted that Ahn, speaking on Aug. 16, 1945, the day after Korea’s liberation, had proposed that the two countries “move toward an equal and mutually beneficial relationship.”

Moon also promised to bring Korea’s first domestically developed vaccine to the market by the first half of next year, reinforce the global supply chain in the semiconductor and battery industries, and make an announcement within the year of feasible goals for greenhouse gas reductions by 2030.

By Gil Yun-hyung, staff reporter

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