Yoon addresses anti-state groups on Korea’s Liberation Day

On the 78th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day, President Yoon Suk Yeol took a direct stance against what he termed as “anti-state groups” that, he alleged, “blindly align with communist and authoritative powers, distort public sentiment through false narratives, and incite disturbances within society.” This remark by the president drew strong condemnation from the opposition party, as it was interpreted as directed towards both opposition parties and progressive civil society groups.

During the Liberation Day ceremony held at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, President Yoon criticized that these anti-state groups disguise themselves as advocates for democracy, human rights, and progressivism, and have orchestrated the spread of fabricated provocations and engaged in immoral attacks. “Considering the reality where our nation is divided into free democracy and a communist authoritarian regime, we must be vigilant not to submit ourselves to the anti-state groups,” he underscored.

Significantly, President Yoon refrained from mentioning historically unresolved disputes between Korea and Japan. Instead, he emphasized the importance of fostering cooperative relationships between South Korea and Japan, as well as between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. President Yoon characterized Japan as a partner sharing universal values and pursuing common interests. He stressed the necessity of a closely-knit collaboration based on reconnaissance assets and real-time sharing of information pertaining to North Korea’s nuclear capabilities and missile activities, with the aim of countering the threats posed by the North Korean regime at their source.


dapaper@donga.com