Yoon: ‘ROK-US alliance is a key pillar of peace’

On July 27, marking the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, “The ROK-US alliance is a key pillar of world peace, stability, and prosperity.” This is in response to US President Joe Biden’s announcement of the same gist on the 26th (local time), stressing to the international community the achievements of the 70-year ROK-U.S. alliance that has developed into a global comprehensive strategic alliance. While trilateral security cooperation is in full swing with the holding of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit at Camp David on Aug.18, a new Cold War structure is becoming evident in Northeast Asia as North Korea demonstrates closer ties with China and Russia than ever.

President Yoon made this remark on the same day at the UN Forces Participation Day and the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement held at the Busan Cinema Center. Earlier, in a proclamation on the 70th anniversary of the armistice agreement, President Biden said, “Let’s renew our promise for the values of democracy that have been preserved through sacrifice, and work to ensure that the ROK-US alliance can continue to contribute to world peace and prosperity. The ROK-US alliance is a linchpin for world peace, stability, and prosperity.”

Prior to the commemoration ceremony, President Yoon paid homage to government delegations from UN member countries who participated in the war, flags, and monuments of participating countries, a cemetery for the dead, and a memorial tower for the UN forces in turn. This is the first time a sitting president has visited the UN Forces Memorial Tower.


Kwan-Seok Jang jks@donga.com · Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com