S. Korea Holds Inaugural Remembrance Day for War Abductees
(MENAFN) In a historic move, South Korea on Saturday held its inaugural national ceremony honoring citizens abducted by North Korea during the 1950–53 Korean War, reaffirming its commitment to tackling long-standing humanitarian challenges tied to the peninsula's division.
“Resolving humanitarian issues caused by the division of the Korean Peninsula is a fundamental duty of the state and a top priority,” Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung stated at the event in Paju, a border city, as reported by local media.
Labeling the wartime abductions as “one of the darkest legacies of division and war,” Kim urged renewed determination in addressing the issue, framing it as central to the broader goal of peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
“We can no longer delay the urgent task of confirming the fate of abducted loved ones and easing the pain carried by their families,” Kim emphasized. He added that the Unification Ministry would intensify efforts to reduce military tensions with Pyongyang and strive toward enduring peace.
The minister’s remarks came on the heels of President Lee Jae-myung’s recent call to “stop the exhausting hostilities” with North Korea and to revive inter-Korean engagement.
“We will address the problems born out of national division and war one by one by reopening channels of communication with the North and work to resume dialogue,” Kim added. “In moving from confrontation to reconciliation, we will make efforts to heal the pain of national division and suffering of families of wartime abductees.”
South Korea officially designated June 28 as Korean War Abductees Remembrance Day in 2024.
According to Seoul’s estimates, approximately 100,000 South Koreans have been abducted by North Korea since the war.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
