By Yoon Sojung
Photos = Yonhap News

President Moon Jae-in has reaffirmed his administration’s will to protect peace on the Korean Peninsula.

President Moon said that, “Our descendants should benefit from co-prosperity on a free and peaceful Korean Peninsula,” during the 69th Armed Forces Day ceremony held at the headquarters of the Navy's Second Fleet in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 28.

“Protecting peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula is the absolute duty granted by the constitution to the president and it cannot be ignored,” he said.

President Moon said that the current security crisis involving the Korean Peninsula cannot cause Seoul to give up its will to protect peace. He said that the country will surely overcome this crisis and protect peace on the peninsula.

President Moon emphasized the strengthened security required for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

“Our government will maintain a state of strong military preparation, based on the firm Korea-U.S. joint defense posture,” said the president.

“We will do our utmost to stably maintain the situation in order to prevent heightened tension from causing military collision, and to strengthen military deterrence,” he said.

To this aim, President Moon ordered reform in the national defense community in order to upgrade the nation's security capability, to improve stability and to build trust among the military.

Emphasizing that securing military capability to face North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile threats was a top priority task, President Moon said that, “Establishing the so-called 'strong Korean three-axis defense platform' is the core strategy of Korea’s military capability.”

He also urged the early establishment of the "strong Korean three-axis defense platform." It's composed of the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike system, the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) system.

In order to deter Pyongyang’s nuclear provocations, President Moon highlighted the importance of bolstering joint defense capability between the Republic of Korea and the U.S.

He noted the need to quickly regain wartime operational control from the U.S., based on the independent defense capability of the Republic of Korea. He said, “If we have our own wartime operational control, Pyongyang would fear us more and our citizens would trust us more.”



In line with military reform, President Moon said he would improve the welfare in the military.

President Moon said, “The morale of the military is the source of the nation's defense capability.”

He vowed to root out all sorts of corruption, including corruption in the defense industry, which reduces morale. The president also said that his administration will adopt measures to advance the human rights of individual soldiers and to improve conditions in the military service.

President Moon said, “Strong and swift national defense reform would make the military reborn as a stronger force that creates peace, protects its citizens and receives their love.”

“As commander in chief, I will give all of my support and take all measures, as much as needed,” he said.

arete@korea.kr