President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 15 delivers a speech at a ceremony marking the 80th Liberation Day at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Office of the President)

By Jeon Misun

President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 15 urged North Korea to "recover trust and dialogue" and called Japan "a neighbor and partner."

In a policy speech at an 80th Liberation Day ceremony at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul's Jongno-gu District, he said, "South and North Korea share a special relationship in which both sides respect and recognize each other's system and pursue peaceful unification," adding, "We will not pursue any form of unification through absorption."

"To prevent accidental clashes and build military trust, we will gradually restore the Sept. 19 (2018) military agreement," he added in urging peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula. "Let us end the era of confrontation and hostility and open a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth."

President Lee also highlighted cooperation with Japan as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties.

"Japan is our neighbor with whom we share our yard and a partner in economic development," he said. "We will seek forward-looking cooperation and hold frank dialogue through shuttle diplomacy."

"Many people around us are still suffering from issues related to the past," he added. "The Japanese government must squarely face up to its painful history so that trust between our two countries is not undermined."

msjeon22@korea.kr